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'I'm personally not as optimistic as I have been for any of the other World Cups'
It’s been an eventful World Cup cycle for the All Blacks, with historic wins and losses in the bank and while the team never strays far from the Rugby World Cup favourites debate, this year more than ever, the famous black jersey has been named on the outside looking in when projecting the tournament’s winner.
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In between retaining The Rugby Championship each year, New Zealand have suffered debut losses to Argentina, both abroad and on home soil, a maiden match and series loss to Ireland at home, and most recently, their largest-ever defeat thanks to a ferocious Springbok performance at Twickenham.
The believers have kept faith but the results have seen a fair amount of doubters state their worries.
New Zealand-raised former Springbok halfback Kevin Putt has added his voice to the chorus of concerns over the All Blacks’ World Cup chances while lending the discussion some perspective.
“You’ve got Brian O’Driscoll, who is saying ‘shivers, this is Ireland’s time but I’m scared of New Zealand’,” Putt told SENZ when asked to rate the All Blacks’ World Cup chances out of 10. “Going over to the UK, you’ve got a couple of the top players hitting us with this ‘but, New Zealand, but New Zealand’.
“I think they’re more scared of us than we are actually optimistic of our own chances in this World Cup. I won’t write the All Blacks off at any given stage.
“I’d put us up there around about a seven, but I’ve got to be honest, I’m personally not as optimistic as I have been for any of the other World Cups that I’ve been to.”
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The infamous All Blacks aura is enough to make teams wary, and that’s what has commanded the opponent’s respect more so than any recent form in the eyes of Putt.
“Our history is enough to put the fear up anyone, you don’t become a successful team and then become a crap team overnight.”
The pundit shed further light on his lack of optimism over New Zealand’s World Cup campaign.
“For me, it’s actually come around from the dismantling by a couple of teams that have played us.
“Ireland’s up there as the top team in the world, when they came to New Zealand we gave them one smack at Eden Park and then by goodness did they not only turn it around, in one week, you can sort of write it off.
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“They dominated the ruck and the defence and that’s what scares me about them.
“This is going to be a World Cup that’s dominated, I’d love to say it will be about expansive play and all the rest and some of the pool play may be that, but to win it, it’s going to be around how you handle those dark places; The defence around rucks, the pick and go.
“Ireland are the best team from five meters out in the world, they keep the ball, they’re tough. So that’s what I’m nervous about. We’ve been dismantled by them, we’ve been beaten by France, in France quite convincingly previously.
“So, I’m picking snippets of big games, not how we play against Australia – I mean who cares?”
Comments on RugbyPass
What a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
2 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
40 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
41 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
41 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
41 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
40 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
2 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
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