Morgan Parra of France is high tackled by Jack McGrath of Ireland in the Rugby World Cup pool match that set up a Cardiff quarterfinal of Les Bleus vs All Blacks.

OPINION: From a fixtures point of view, at least, history does repeat.

The All Blacks have a chance to gain closure and exterminate the ghosts of 2007 with another Rugby World Cup quarterfinal locked in against the unpredictable French in Cardiff.

BACK THE ALL BLACKS: Join NZ's biggest Mexican Wave

Six of the All Blacks management watched Ireland's tenacious 24-9 win from the Millennium Stadium stands. They saw Ireland lose two giants of the game; two of their best players in influential first five-eighth Jonathan Sexton and inspirational captain Paul O'Connell, but still rise for the occasion.

They saw the French capitulate in an electric atmosphere. But they won't be naive enough to write Les Bleus off next week. No, no, no. France are at their best when no-one sees them coming.

READ MORE:

* High price for Ireland in win over France

* All Blacks reveal mental edge

* Italy hold off Romania revival

* Rampant Pumas crush Namibia

Lessons of 1999, 2007 and the 2011 World Cup final at Eden Park, where the French still claim they were duded by referee Craig Joubert in the tense closing stages, will ensure the All Blacks don't take them lightly.

You never know what you're going to get with the French. Against Ireland they were erratic and inaccurate; unable to seize on the wounded beast before them.

This weekend they could be brilliant. That's how they roll. South African-born fullback Scott Spedding was a standout but even captain Thierry Dusautoir was guilty of simple errors. Frederic Michalak missed tackles and failed to control play - and big centre Mathieu Bastareaud looked lumbering.

There's no denying the All Blacks would have preferred Ireland in the quarterfinal, especially without Sexton and O'Connell.

Sexton was rocked in the 25th minute by a huge tackle and threw up before leaving the field as a result of an abductor compliant. Ian Madigan was an able replacement and had some nice touches, but simply put, he's no Sexton.

O'Connell did his hamstring in nasty way. After attempting to walk it off he eventually succumbed to being stretchered off. At 35-years-old the injury shapes as a cruel end to a memorable career for the legendary British and Irish Lions lock.

It was carnage for the Six Nations champion. Blindside flanker Peter O'Mahony followed on another stretcher in the 56th minute.

And to make matters worse world-class openside Sean O'Brien, who was named man of the match after an impressive performance with ball in hand and at the breakdown, may be cited for what looked like a punch to the stomach of French lock Pascal Pape.

RUGBY WORLD CUP ZONE:

* RWC 2015 Match Centre

* Tournament history

* Best RWC moments

* RWC team profiles

* All Blacks squad

* RWC Fantasy league

* Printable wallchart

Despite the frequent setbacks Ireland kept coming. Two second half tries to fullback Rob Kearney and Connor Murray sealed the result. And they should have had a third, with centre Keith Earls dropping the ball with the line open in the first half.

Forty-thousand Irish fans that descended on Cardiff were not disappointed. They sang and willed their men on throughout and long after the final whistle, almost lifting the roof in the process such was their collective volume. That kind of support can't be underestimated. Even from a neutral's perspective it was seriously uplifting.

In the final five minutes a sea of green were on their feet bouncing. It was celebration mode but Kiwi-born Irish coach Joe Schmidt will realise the massive job on his hands to get this depleted team ready for the in-form Argentineans. That quarterfinal could go either way.

History tells us you could say the same about the All Blacks and France in Cardiff.