OWN CORRESPONDENT, Dunedin | Tuesday 1.30pm.
SOUTH Africa are favourites to win the World Cup in Wales later this year, according to All Black coach John Hart.
Hart said he believed South Africa has more depth overall than New Zealand and the other teams in the tourney, reports the New Zealand Press Association.
Hart said centre was obviously a position where there the All Blacks have no proven performers at international level. He added “maybe No 8 and No 6” were other positions where there was not a lot of depth.
An All Black squad of 24 to play New Zealand A in Christchurch on June 11 will be announced on May 24 but Hart was reluctant to comment on whether incumbent Taine Randell will be retained as captain.
“We’ve always had an open mind on the captaincy issue. First and foremost, that player has to earn his place and one of our aims is to grow the leadership role within the team.”
Hart said the attrition rate among New Zealand Super 12 players was “a natural concern” and he “sort of shuddered” when leading All Black contenders went down injured.
Hart was reluctant to echo Springbok coach Nick Mallett’s suggestion that the Tri-Nations series should be scrapped in World Cup year.
Hart was non-committal about whether the All Black selectors will “experiment” in tests before the World Cup but said, if that does happen, it is more likely against New Zealand A, Western Samoa and France than during the Tri-Nations.