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The three teams Victor Matfield believes can win the World Cup

Victor Matfield. (Photo by Tertius Pickard/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Former Springboks captain Victor Matfield believes there are only three teams capable of winning all three of their knockout matches to win this month’s World Cup in Japan.

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The tournament begins next Friday as the Brave Blossoms host Russia in Tokyo, and many nations have been tipped to challenge for the Webb Ellis Cup in what’s being considered the most open World Cup in recent history.

New Zealand, England, Ireland, South Africa and Wales are among as many as seven teams that have been mentioned as potential title-winners come November 2.

However, Matfield, who played 127 tests between 2000 and 2015 and was a key part of the Springboks’ 2007 World Cup success in France, said it was clear in his mind who the three genuine contenders are.

“There’s always something to fear. If you look at how the World Cup is set up, there’s seven teams that could beat each other on any given day,” he said at the Sandton offices of Investec on Wednesday.

“Any of those teams can beat New Zealand and South Africa.

“However‚ I think there’s only three big teams that can win three consecutive knock-out games. All of them are dangerous‚ especially Ireland.”

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Matfield has been impressed with the quality shown by Schmidt’s side over the past couple of seasons, and is of the belief that that could translate into World Cup glory.

“We’ve seen what Ireland have done in the past two years. They are the No.1 team, even though they haven’t shown the same form in the past year.

“You never know though, as they could peak at the right time. Their coach Joe Schmidt is a clever guy. He’s got an experienced squad that can beat any team. They’re going to be a dangerous side.

“He’s got an experienced one that can beat any team. They’ve also beaten everyone recently so they’re going to be a dangerous side,” he said.

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South Africa’s opening World Cup clash against the All Blacks looms as one of the most significant pool fixtures of the tournament, and the absence of Brodie Retallick due to injury could sway the result, according to Matfield.

The former second rower emphasised how Retallick’s talent across the park would be sorely missed by Steve Hansen’s side, despite the presence of Scott Barrett as his replacement.

“Scott Barrett is there and he’s a good replacement. He’s been fantastic for the Crusaders as a number four lock. He doesn’t have the same skill set as Retallick who gets the ball in the midfield for the All Blacks. He gives them width on attack, whereas Barrett is a hard grafter and probably has a higher work rate than Retallick.

“It’s the Brodie skill set that he doesn’t have from a decision-making and playmaking perspective. That’s where Retallick is important for them,” Matfield said.

The All Blacks and Springboks open their World Cup campaigns against each other in Yokohama next Saturday, while Ireland face Scotland at the same venue the day after.

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J
JW 36 minutes ago
Let's be real about these All Blacks

I didn't really get the should tone from it, but maybe because I was just reading it as my own thoughts.


What I read it as was examples of how they played well enough in every game to be able to win it.


Yeah I dunno if Ben wouldn't see it that way (someone else would for sure need to point it out to him though), I'm more in the Ben not appreciating that those close losses werent one off scenarios camp. Sure you can look at dubious decisions causing them to have to play with 14 or 13 men at the death as viable reasons but even in the games they won without such difficulties they made a real struggle of it (compared to how good some of their first half play was). This kind of article where you trying to point out the 3 losses really would most likely have been wins only really makes sense/works when your other performances make those 3 games (or endings) stand out.


There might have been a sentence here and there to ensure some good comment numbers but when he's signing off the article by saying things like ..

Whilst these All Blacks aren’t blowing teams off the park like during the 2010s, they are nuggety and resourceful and don’t wilt. They are prepared to win the hard way, accumulating points by any means necessary.

and..

The other top sides in the world struggled to put them away. France and South Africa both could have well been defeated on home soil.

I don't really see it. Always making sure people are upto date with the SH standing/perspective! NZ went through some tough times with so many different perspectives and reasons why, but then it was.. amusing how.. behind everyone was once they turned a corner. More of these 'unfortunate' results returned against SA and France at the start of the RWC which made it extra tasty to catch other teams out when they did bring it. So that created some 'conscious' perspective that I just kept going and sharing re thoughts on similar predicaments of other teams, I had been really confident that Wallabies displays vs NZ were real, that the Argentines can backup their thing against Aus and SA (and so obviously the rest), and current one is that England are actually consistent and improving with their attack (which everyone should get onboard with), and I'm expecting a more dominant display against Japan (even though they should have more of their experienced internationals for this one) that highlights further growth from July. 👍

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