The document discusses why the author believes New Zealand will win the 2015 Rugby World Cup. It provides background on the top contending teams, highlighting New Zealand's superior experience and depth of world-class players. New Zealand has the most experienced squad, strong leadership from captain Richie McCaw, and skilled players who can change games. Their ability to attack and defend at a high level, integrate lessons from past failures, and take risks to make exciting plays makes them the favorites to win a third World Cup title.

1. sports today•Saturday19September201525
AllBlackshave
theingredients
tomakehistoryThere are favourites for the Rugby
World Cup, and then there is the one
clear favourite that everyone has to
beat. TODAY guest columnist Justin
Sampson (sports@mediacorp.
com.sg) explains why he reckons New
Zealand will be lifting the Webb Ellis
Trophy at the end of the tournament ...
T
he Rugby World Cup (RWC)
is into its eighth edition, with
20 teams competing for hon-
ours in the United Kingdom for the
next six weeks. Sadly, though, the
­reality is there are only five, may-
be six, nations that can win the
World Cup.
History, statistics and World
Rugby rankings support this. The
five that immediately come to mind
are New Zealand, Australia, South
Africa, England and France. Many
experts think Ireland have a real
chance this time, as they have won
the Six Nations Tournament for the
past two years. However, they are
darkhorsesatbestastheyhavenever
reached the semi-finals stage of the
tournament.
NEW ZEALAND
If you look at World Rugby rankings,
New Zealand are usually No 1 eve-
ry week, and that is because the All
Blacks rarely lose.
The two-time world champions
aretheglobalstandard,withthebest
record at Rugby World Cups among
the major nations. They have won 37
games, and lost only six. That’s an
amazing 86 per cent win record.
In other words, they are the team
tobeatifanyteamwantstomakethe
final, and win it.
AUSTRALIA
The Wallabies are ranked No 2,
and being Australian myself, I am
always optimistic that they can win
the World Cup, especially since they
are in good form right now. Spirits
are high, too, after their 27-19 win
over New Zealand in the Rugby
Championship last month.
Like the All Blacks, Austral-
ia have won two World Cups, both
times away from home, in 1991 and
1999. They have the third-best RWC
record, with 33 games won, and only
eight losses. That’s a winning record
of 80 per cent.
South Africa
TheSpringbokshaveasimilarstory.
The Boks have also won two
World Cups — in 1995 at home, and
on their maiden appearance in the
tournament (they were barred from
the 1987 and 1991 tournaments be-
cause of apartheid, and 2007 in Par-
is. Though third in the word rank-
ings, the Boks are actually second
only to New Zealand in number of
RWC games won — 25.
Indeed, they have lost only four
times in the tournament since 1995.
That’s the same winning percentage
as New Zealand at 86 per cent.
ENGLAND
The hosts are currently the world
No 4. They won the World Cup in
2003 and were runners-up in 1991
and 2007. They also sit fourth in
RWC rankings, with 29 games won
and 11 losses (80 per cent).
Home ground support will be a
huge advantage to England, espe-
cially when the fans start singing
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. But it is
also a double-edged sword because
much will also be expected of them.
It also raises the question of
whether they will be able to handle
the pressure.
It doesn’t help matters either that
Englandfansareconstantlycompar-
ing the 2003 Cup-winning side of
Martin Johnson, Jonny Wilkinson,
LawrenceDallaglio,RichardHilland
company to the current side, who,
man-for-man, are not as good as the
class of 2003, or that England coach
Stuart Lancaster doesn’t seem to
know who is his best team yet.
FRANCE
Given their RWC record, France are
also in the mix, having made it to the
final on three occasions. They are
the only team among the favourites
not to have the All Blacks as their
“voodoo” side. Since the first World
Cup, they have always proved to be
a handful for the Kiwis.
They made the final against New
Zealandin1987,wheretheylost9-29,
but caused major upsets in 1999 and
2007 when they beat the All Blacks
43-31 in the semi-finals and 20-18 in
the quarter-finals, respectively.
In fact, during the final four years
ago in New Zealand, France could
well have won if the game went for
another five minutes. But New Zea-
land managed to edge home 8-7.
Strangely,though,theFrenchhave
notbeenasconsistentastheyusually
are these past few years, and hence
they are currently ranked 7th in the
world, behind Wales and Ireland.
MY PREDICTION
So, what does it take to win seven
straightgamesandlifttheWorldCup?
Ifeeltherearethreemaincompo-
nents that are required, and this is
also why I reckon New Zealand will
win the Webb Ellis Cup for a record
third time.
First, you need strong leadership
and experience. New Zealand have
this in abundance. They still have 14
members from the 2011 squad. Skip-
perRichieMcCawhasaworldrecord
142 caps to his name but that doesn’t
meanthathecarriestheyokeoflead-
ership all on his own.
On the field, he is well assisted
by the likes of Keven Mealamu (126
caps), Tony Woodcock (115) and Dan
Carter (106).
Overall, the All Blacks have the
most experience of all 20 teams —
theplayersinthesquadhavechalked
up a combined total of 1,484 Tests,
which surpasses South Africa’s
tally (1,297 tests), Australia (1,243),
France (979) and England (761).
Secondly, you need world-class
players who would always make it
into any World XV, players who not
only know how to attack but also to
defend, who know how to apply pres-
sure, and withstand it. Again, New
Zealand have plenty of such players.
McCaw and Carter are always
talked about, but you could add cen-
tres Conrad Smith and Ma’a Nonu,
and back-rower Kieran Read, to the
list.
That’snotall—mostofthesquad,
couldstartinanyothercountyinthe
world. They have so much depth, in
every position, it’s hard to see any
weaknesses.
To beat a team like this, you have
to apply pressure at every aspect of
the game consistently for the full 80
minutes. You can’t take the foot off
the pedal for a second.
Finally, every great team needs
skilled players who can change, or
turn, a game in the blink of an eye.
Again, New Zealand have players
who fit the bill. Other than Carter
and McCaw, they have on the wings
Julian Savea — the “new” Jonah
Lomu — and Waisake Naholo.
And then there are fullback Ben
Smith and scrumhalf Aaron Smith
supporting their counter-attacking
abilities.
Itisafactthatsincethegamewas
professionalised in 1995, all teams
have since become very similar in
fitness, body mass, size and speed.
However, the difference between
New Zealand and their closest rivals
is that they have more than a hand-
ful of players who have the raw skills
to take risks, and make the game
exciting.
When the All Blacks put all that
together, and integrate the lessons
that they have learnt from previous
failures at World Cups, what you
have is a much better all-round New
Zealand team entering this edition
of the World Cup.
And that is why I firmly believe
thattheAllBlackscanfinallywinthe
trophy away from home and become
the first side to not only successful-
ly defend the crown, but to also win
three Rugby World Cups.
And that would be a fitting send-
off for McCaw, probably world rug-
by’s greatest captain ever.
Justin Sampson
coached the
Singapore national
rugby team from
1996 to 2002. He
also faced the All
Blacks in 1988 and
the British Lions in
1989 with the New
South Wales
Country team.
Since 1997, he
has been a
commentator
for several
international media
outlets. He is also a
motivational
speaker and
leadership trainer.
BOTTOMS
UP! BEER
SALES
TO HIT
THE ROOF
Thirsty beer
drinkers will
sink more than
25 million extra
pints in public
houses during the
six-week Rugby
World Cup, the
British Beer &
Pub Association
(BBPA) has
predicted.
Rugby fans
are renowned
for their alcohol
consumption, and
the showpiece is
expected to give
pubs a boost.
The BBPA said
total impact for
pubs, in beer
sales alone, would
be about
£86 million
(S$187 million).
“Nothing
can match the
atmosphere
of the Great
British pub when
it comes to big
matches, apart
from actually
being there. And
for those visiting
the UK for the
tournament, the
pub is a huge
attraction,”said
BBPA chief
executive
Brigid Simmonds.
REUTERS
TV Times
Singtel Ch115 and StarHub Ch209
Today
Pool C: Tonga v Georgia (6.55pm)
Pool D: Ireland v Canada (9.25pm)
Pool B: South Africa v Japan (11.40pm)
Tomorrow:
Pool D: France v Italy (2.45am)
Pool B: Samoa v USA (6.45pm)
Pool A: Wales v Uruguay (9.15pm)
Pool C: New Zealand v Argentina (11.30pm)
All Blacks captain Richie McCaw (left) is highly experienced, with a world record
142 caps, but he does not carry the yoke of leadership on his own. Photo: Reuters