"The big boys have to step up to the plate and the team that does this the best will move through to the next round. It's as simple as that," said coach Steve Hansen.

The selection of Nonu ahead of Williams was always going to be a close call, but choosing between Milner-Skudder and Waisake Naholo was made easier after the Highlanders player failed to fire.

Naholo broke his leg in July on his All Blacks' debut, yet was still picked in the World Cup squad because of his devastating form for the Highlanders in Super Rugby.

He scored after 72 seconds on his World Cup debut - against Georgia in Cardiff - but he made handling errors in his two displays in the pool stage, including a knock-on with the try-line at his mercy against Tonga.

Julian Savea, who has 35 tries in 38 caps, was rested for Tonga, meaning it was likely to come down to a straight fight between Milner-Skudder and Naholo. Milner-Skudder has six tries in his five test appearances.

Wyatt Crockett will start at loose-head prop after Tony Woodcock's campaign was ended by a serious hamstring strain in the All Blacks last pool match against Tonga.

Joe Moody, rushed over from New Zealand to replace Woodcock, goes straight onto the bench as a specialist loose head.

The defending champions have gone through pool play undefeated, but without looking overly convincing in a relatively light pool.

However, Hansen has insisted their match strategies were designed to rehearse for the knockout stage rather than post big scores, an attitude that cost them dearly in 2007.

After waltzing through pool games at the time, the All Blacks were unprepared for a quarter-final against France and were knocked out of the tournament 20-18 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Hansen wants no replay of that scenario.

"We're exactly where we want to be, playing a quarter-final at the Millennium Stadium. It's finals footy and we're hugely excited by that.

"We're a team that enjoys a challenge, we've had a great week's preparation and it's now about putting it out on the park," he added.

Despite the memory of 2007, Hansen said this team were about "making their own history" in what he predicted would be an intense match.

"The French will be very physical and both teams have plenty to play for."

Hansen said McCaw would have started against Tonga if it had been a knockout game, and the captain has trained without problems this week.

Sam Cane was the player to drop to the bench, with McCaw set for his 146th test cap.

Teams

New Zealand (15-1):

Ben Smith; Nehe Milner-Skudder, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea; Dan Carter, Aaron Smith; Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (c), Jerome Kaino; Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick; Owen Franks, Dane Coles, Wyatt Crockett.

Replacements: Keven Mealamu, Joe Moody, Charlie Faumuina, Victor Vito, Sam Cane, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Beauden Barrett, Sonny Bill Williams

France (15-1):

Scott Spedding; Noa Nakaitaci, Alexandre Dumoulin, Wesley Fofana, Brice Dulin; Frederic Michalak, Morgan Parra; Louis Picamoles, Bernard Le Roux, Thierry Dusautoir (c); Yoann Maestri, Pascal Pape; Rabah Slimani, Guilhem Guirado, Eddy Ben Arous

Replacements: Dimitri Szarzewski, Vincent Debaty, Nicolas Mas, Damien Chouly, Yannick Nyanga, Rory Kockott, Remi Tales, Mathieu Bastareaud

Referee:  Nigel Owens (WAL)