/ 19 October 1999

CAMPESE TIPS AUSSIES/KIWI FINAL

RECORD Australian try-scorer David Campese has predicted an Australia-New Zealand World Cup final and discounted the chances of South Africa retaining the trophy. Campese tipped Australia, England, New Zealand and France to be the four semi-finalists. “The real World Cup begins now and I already know who will be the four semi-finalists – England, Australia, New Zealand and France,” Campese wrote in his column in the London Evening Standard. “It doesn’t matter what has already gone on in the tournament because this is where everything steps up a level and we start to see the big teams coming through.” Campese, who has often written-off England, tipped Clive Woodward’s side to beat Fiji on Wednesday and then down South Africa in Paris at the weekend. “It’s been a bad year for the Springboks and their problems have increased during the World Cup,” Campese said.