Wideopen cup ‘great’ for game
YOKOHAMA: As many as six teams could win this year’s World Cup, double the number of contenders four years ago, New Zealand coach Steve Hansen said yesterday on the eve of his side’s opening clash with South Africa, one of the tournament’s other favourites.
The All Blacks’ decadelong reign at the top of the world rankings came to an end in recent weeks, first losing the mantle to 2019 Six Nations winners Wales and then Ireland, which won the northern hemisphere’s premier annual tournament the year before.
While the ranking system is imperfect given Ireland’s ascent actually followed a disappointing 2019, the fact South Africa and Australia both finished ahead of New Zealand in this year’s Rugby Championship makes this the most open World Cup since the tournament began in 1987.
‘‘They are always competitive. It always makes me chuckle when I hear this team can’t win and this team is going to win. But right now you’ve got a number of sides that are capable of winning it because they’ve go the talent in their group,’’ Hansen told media.
‘‘There’s probably more in this tournament than normal. Probably in the last one there was two or three; this one there’s five or six which is great for rugby.’’
New Zealand, winner of the last two tournaments, has the ability to get the job done for a third successive time, Hansen said, expecting a ‘‘tight, titanic struggle’’ up front against the physical Springboks in tonight’s pool B opener.
No more than two points have separated the sides in their last four meetings, with the most recent 1616 draw in Wellington in July helping South Africa towards its first Rugby Championship title in a decade.
New Zealand had hammered South Africa by a record 570 in the meeting prior to that in 2017.
Hansen credited South Africa’s rise to the improvements his opposite number, Rassie Erasmus, had made towards defence and fitness since taking charge last year.
Hansen retained Richie Mo’unga at first five for the game, making Beauden Barrett’s move to fullback a more permanent one and he backed the Canterbury Crusaders’ playmaker to follow in the footsteps of some All Black greats in his World Cup debut.
‘‘He plays some scintillating rugby at times. He’s very good with ball in hand, he’s got pace, a good kicking game, great vision so he’s got all the attributes to be a wonderful, wonderful player,’’ Hansen said.
‘‘He follows in the footsteps of some of the greats; he’s playing with one of the current ones who is playing back at fullback...
‘‘He’s got the mental fortitude to announce himself come Saturday.’’