can the wallabies win the world cup this year, page-10

It's an interesting psychological exercise brett when it comes to things like World Cup finals/semi finals.

The challenge for the All Blacks is not to become bogged down in worrying about whether or not they can reproduce their normal high standard. Similar with all favourites I guess, but even more exaggerated for them because they perform so well, so consistently.

Once there is a slight element of doubt in their ranks, they're not accustomed to having to deal with it. Their normal self believing, full steam ahead method of operation suddenly has a foreign bug to deal with. And a bug that they know can be nasty.

They deserve favouritism, but they are beatable this year, as in other years.

When a major competition like this comes down to just one game, the odds are always there that the hot favourites will be beaten.

If it was best of 5, they'd arguably never lose the World Cup.