Richie McCaw claims the All Blacks have used their 2007 World Cup meltdown against France to make them the world’s most feared team.

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For a week the All Blacks have played down the historical significance of Saturday’s game – facing their nemesis at the same Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and in the quarter-final as they were eight years ago.

Hounded by the question every day the stock response had been they were not looking back. But McCaw opened up about the past on Friday, saying the shock loss had helped reshape the All Blacks.

“If you are going to reflect back eight years ago, which is a long time, there’s been a lot of rugby since then. I know what a disappointing day it was but it perhaps shaped what’s been eight years since,” he said.

After being bundled out of the 2007 World Cup by France the All Blacks have since played 106 Tests, won 92, lost 12 and drawn two for an 87.7 per cent success rate.

The All Blacks have been unchallenged as the top-ranked side in the world for the past six years and won the last World Cup in 2011, beating France 8-7 in the final.

McCaw, one of only two All Blacks survivors from the 2007 loss along with fly-half Dan Carter, said it had been important to learn from defeat.

“Those days are the ones where you learn a few lessons and the good times have come since then,” he said. “I guess I’m grateful that we get another opportunity to be in the quarter-final of another World Cup. That’s the bit that gets me going.”

The All Blacks have cantered into the quarter-finals, winning all four pool matches with the tournament-ending injury to veteran prop Tony Woodcock, the only black mark.

France, however, in time-honoured tradition, appear close to implosion with L’Obs Sport newspaper reporting on Thursday a “discreet” rebellion had taken place against coach Philippe Saint-Andre.

It was even suggested that some players were responsible for team selection and captain Thierry Dusautoir had taken over the coaching reins this week. But Dusautoir said: “I don’t understand what everyone is talking about. We prepare for this game as a team and all the boys, coaches and manager are working together.”

There was unrest in the France camp during the 2011 World Cup when players expressed their unhappiness with then coach Marc Lievremont following a shock group stage defeat to Tonga.

But France recovered to make the final and Dusautoir added: “We are are going to continue to work together. It’s a team ready to play New Zealand.”