New Zealand and produced a star-studded team which is expected to seriously challenge the All Blacks' goal of a seventh Classic title.

Drawn from the French teams of the 1980s and '90s, teams which won or shared the international Home Championship in seven years out of 13, the squad consists of players who made nearly 800 national side appearances between them.

By comparison, the All Blacks' squad played about 300 times for their country.

Denis Charvet, who played 23 times for France and guested for the Bermuda Invitation squad during last year's Classic, promised to bring back a team which would challenge the dominance of New Zealand and has now lived up to his word.

The rugged centre has been successful in recruiting many from the French 1987 Grand Slam team, which contained some of the European country's -- and indeed the continent's -- finest ever players.

Among those are Pierre Berbizier, France's most capped scrum-half, with 56 appearances from 1981 to 1991 and a former captain and coach of his country.

Phillippe Dintrans still holds the record for most caps by a French hooker, having been a fixture from 1979 to 1990, while Jean Condom set the mark for locks, with 61 caps from 1982 to 1990.

Didier Camberabero, with 36 caps, is the holder of the French record for conversions and drop goals.

Also included are two members of last season's French team, Franck Mesnel and Louis Armary, with 56 and 47 caps respectively.

Expected French squad: Jean-Pierre Garuet, prop (42 caps), Pascal Ondarts, prop (42), Alain Lorieux, lock (30), Jean Condom, lock (61), Francis Haget, lock (40), Dominic Erbani, flanker (46), Laurent Rodriguez, number eight (56), Eric Champ, flanker (42), Jean-Luc Joinel, number eight (51), Denis Charvet, centre (23), Eric Bonneval, centre (18), Jean-Baptiste Lafond, wing (36), Patrick Esteve, wing (25), Marc Andrieu, centre (26), Pierre Berbizer, scrum-half (56, Phillippe Dintrans, hooker (50), Didier Camberabero (36), Franck Mesnel (56), Louis Armary (47).

Three more names are to be added to the French squad, with discussions being held regarding the availability of players currently under contract with English clubs.

Still, it is not a done deal that France will make the final -- they and New Zealand have been paired in separate brackets -- and a lot may ride on their first encounter on November 11, when they face last year's runners-up, Celtic Barbarians.

The winners will meet the winners of England versus Canada, with the victors of that match earning a spot in the final.

New Zealand will have to get past the likes of Argentina on November 10, and then take on either South Africa or United States.

World Rugby Classic schedule: (all games at National Sports Club: November 10: Tag Rugby, 1 p.m.; New Zealand v Argentina (A), 2 p.m.; South Africa v United States (B), 3.30 p.m.

November 11: Mini Rugby 1.30 p.m.; Canada v England (C), 2 p.m.; Celtic Barbarians v France (D), 3.30 p.m.

November 13: Loser A v Loser B, 7 p.m.; Winner A v Winner B, 8.30 p.m.

November 14: Loser c v Loser D, 7 p.m.; Winner C v Winner D, 8.30 p.m.

November 16: Mini Rugby, 1 p.m.; World Rugby Classic finals