Ex-Springboks great tips ABs three-peat
Springboks great Bryan Habana doesn’t buy into claims the All Blacks are a side on the decline.
Forget their patchy 2018, a year that included losses to South Africa and Ireland, ones that practically prompted every man, woman and mutt in New Zealand to spiral into a state of panic.
The All Blacks are done, some said. Coach Steve Hansen and captain Kieran Read must be booted to the curb, others crowed. Ireland will win the 2019 World Cup in Japan, was the word.
Habana says their 16-9 win against the All Blacks in Dublin last November might make them the best team in the world heading into the year, but there’s only one team the man who scored 67 tries for his country feels comfortable calling the favourites to win the global tournament.
‘‘The All Blacks becoming the first team ever to win three World Cups in a row is very likely,’’ Habana said when discussing the tournament, which runs from September 20 to November 2.
‘‘Ireland will go into this World Cup pretty confident. But, like all previous World Cups, I’m almost certain New Zealand will go into this World Cup as favourites.’’
In the aftermath of the Dublin loss, the All Blacks’ second to the team coached by Kiwi Joe Schmidt since 2016, Hansen labelled Ireland the best team in the world, and favourites to win the tournament.
Whether he meant it or not, the message certainly hasn’t got to New Zealand bookies.
The All Blacks are currently $2 favourites at the TAB to snare the Webb Ellis Cup. Ireland are paying $4.50, South Africa $8.50 and England $9.
Despite the All Blacks’ finishing last year with a respectable 12-2 record, they weren’t their usual dominant self.
They barely eked past an unconvincing England at Twickenham, and were plagued by patchy defence, poor discipline and unforced errors as they attempted to embed a revamped playing style.
They drew heavy flak after their 36-34 loss to South Africa in Wellington, after neither Beauden Barrett nor Damian McKenzie attempted a last ditch drop goal when camped on the Springboks’ line. Instead, the All Blacks unsuccessfully flung the ball wide in search of a try.
‘‘I think they go into this World Cup knowing where they’ve let themselves down in 2018, knowing there is going to be quite a lot of work-ons, but knowing if they click they’re going to be a difficult side to beat in Japan,’’ Habana said.
That said, South Africa, Ireland, and the British and Irish Lions have exposed the All Blacks during the past 18 months.
‘‘Are there any weaknesses? It’s difficult to say,’’ Habana said. ‘‘What we have seen in the last 18 months . . . when the All Blacks are pushed to the limit, when they are put under pressure, they do become human like everyone else and make mistakes.
‘‘I think a lot of teams will be looking at how to put them under pressure, how to force them into making mistakes.’’
Easier said than done. Habana, who played 124 tests between 2004-2016, knows that all too well from his clashes with the All Blacks.
During his glittering career, which included tasting World Cup glory in 2007, the Springboks conjured up plans to rattle the men in black and put them off their game.
Regardless what approach they took, there were always two prominent names at the forefront – Richie McCaw and Dan Carter.
‘‘Richie was mostly number one on the list, then you start getting into Dan Carter, who everything revolved around. If you could nullify Dan controlling the game, put him under pressure and make him make mistakes, it made everything a little easier.
‘‘A lot of the time, we didn’t get that right either.’’