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‘Win the World Cup’: Unbeaten All Blacks have ‘more to offer’ in France
By Finn Morton
The All Blacks have looked like world-beaters so far this year. After winning all four Tests during The Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup, they’ve well and truly hit their stride.
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Following the injury to French flyhalf Romain Ntamack, bookmakers in New Zealand and the United Kingdom have the All Blacks as the new front-runners to hoist the Webb Ellis Cup.
They’ve looked very good this year, so bestowing the ‘favourites’ tag upon the All Blacks doesn’t seem too far-fetched. If anything, it feels quite familiar.
But, before flying out of New Zealand ahead of the team’s clash with South Africa in England, loose forward Luke Jacobson has sent a message to the rugby world.
The backrower believes the All Blacks have “more to offer” – and that’s a scary thought ahead of the biggest event in rugby.
They already look like the All Blacks of old.
New Zealand started their international season with a 41-12 demolition of Argentina in Mendoza, the All Blacks went on to inflict more rugby pain on rivals South Africa and Australia.
For periods of these Tests, including the opening 15 minutes against the Springboks and the last quarter of Bledisloe I at the MCG, the All Blacks were practically perfect.
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The All Blacks put the world on notice with these performances, and the New Zealanders aren’t done yet. They’re coming for it all in France.
“I think things are tracking pretty well, and it’s not going to be an easy feat but we’ve got some awesome coaches here, they’re doing a good job,” Jacobson told RugbyPass.
“We’ve got some awesome players and experienced players leading us in the right way.
“We’re already moulding together as you might see from the last few games but I think we’ve still got more to offer so it’s exciting to see where we can get to.”
Jacobson, 26, was picked by coach Ian Foster and the All Blacks selectors as one of the five loose forwards in the Rugby World Cup squad.
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Shannon Frizell, captain Sam Cane and rampaging No. 8 Ardie Savea have all but cemented their places in the All Blacks’ starting side, while Jacobson will look to challenge Dalton Papali’i for a spot on the bench.
Jacobson, who can cover all three positions in the backrow, played alongside Papali’i and dazzling outside back Will Jordan in a star-studded New Zealand U20s side back in 2017.
But whether the Chiefs backrower starts, comes off the pine or is left out of the matchday squad is a decision out of his control. For Jacobson, he’s going to a World Cup, and that’s exciting.
At just 22 years of age, Jacobson was picked in the All Blacks’ World Cup squad back in 2019. Jacobson travelled with the team to Japan, but was later ruled out of the tournament due to “delayed onset of concussion.”
After returning to New Zealand and getting “away from rugby for the next two or three months,” Jacobson began his four-year journey back to the Rugby World Cup.
“I’m just really looking forward to getting out at the World Cup and playing my first game there,” Jacobson added.
“It’s a big focus for me and then just taking it as it comes from there. Obviously, (I’ll) be hungry to go through and help the boys win the World Cup.”
The All Blacks take on fierce rivals South Africa at Twickenham next weekend. It’s the New Zealanders’ final Test before opening their World Cup campaign against hosts France next month.
It's exciting because the ABs go into this tournament with no heavy expectations from New Zealanders, no one has really rated Foster and he goes after the Cup, recent results have been marginal to say the least until this year
.....and now we go into the tournament with fantastic team huge amount of caps and experience, on top of our game probably the opposition are past there peak....but will the midfield add up to Smith and Nonu or Bunce and Little or Little and Horan ....when you thru your away
This AB team doesn’t need any favourites tag and I doubt they are falling for it.
They are a side that can take nothing for granted and have plenty to prove. If they get bundled out of the RWC early, then nobody will remember the first 20 minutes against South Africa in July etc….
They are not favourites for a RWC because they put a few good weeks together (for the first time in years I might add). Can they win it? Sure they can, with a bit of luck and growth in the side, but they will have to work their asses off to do so and have to have the mindset of ‘do or die and get one more week’ which maybe some AB sides from the past didn’t have…..
It's hard to imagine that Foster will be putting too much into this game. Which may catch him out as the seriously misfiring Bok will be desperate to win this game; imagining it has some kind of consequence for the WC. I predict that the ABs will roll out a strong team but with maybe up to 5 of the second streamers getting a run.