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Kolbe tips northern giants as World Cup 'Favourites'

Photo by Clive Rose - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images

South Africa’s Rugby World Cup winning wing Cheslin Kolbe said that France are “favourites” for next year’s competition.

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Les Bleus emphatically beat New Zealand in November before winning their first Six Nations title since 2010 in March.

The tournaments hosts are in Pool A with three-time winners the All Blacks, Italy, Uruguay and Japan.

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“I think the French boys are definitely the favourites going into the World Cup,” Kolbe told Canal+.

“Particularly with the World Cup being in France, it will be good for them,” he added at French rugby’s annual awards ceremony.

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Kolbe’s Springboks, the reigning champions, are in Pool B with Ireland, Scotland, Tonga and Romania.

The Toulon three-quarter missed the recent Rugby Championship for his country with a broken jaw.

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He is set to return in time for the Boks’ November Tests against Ireland, France, Italy and England three years on from lifting the Webb Ellis trophy in Japan.

“Eleven months to the World Cup. Time’s gone quickly since Japan,” Kolbe said.

“It would be good for the Springboks to keep the trophy but France played really well at the Six Nations,” he added.

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J
JW 1 hour ago
'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

Even the 20/30 cappers did too I reckon.


IDK, I think Jordan has a limited life span in this side unless he can develop more to his game. Like you go on to mention, I think theyres more important things to worry about than the effectiveness of someone's extra strings, or secondary components to their game.


Bash backs are Fosters thing, and to a large part they've made it work. Theyre now one of the best teams in the world.


They boy's trucked it up a bit against Italy in the redzone, and against France, wasn't that effective without the right players probably.


Try and take a look at it this way. Dissapointed Havili and Blackadder were in the side? Havili despite clearly shown that he can't do what the team needs at 12 was kept on for the RWC. Back goes down and he brings in Blackadder who doesn't play. Refuses to drop Christie when he should and look who starts this season. Beauden Barret not playing well enough to keep his 10 jersey but we gotta keep him in the side. Weve only got one 8, we stuff developing another I'll just play Ardie every game.


This years team wasn't burdened overly with injuries but they were in every position Razor might have wanted to try and development, severely limiting options. I'm not defending Razor as there was also plenty of other opportunity to make up for it and he was a little gunshy, but I'm also not going to overly criticise him because he chose cohesion over a black slate.

How long are we going to keep blaming All Black failings on Ian Foster.

I think more and more people are on board with it being time to try alternatives, but then again, how would they have reacted to a loss against Italy? 😉

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