Australia deserve top billing

Rugby writer Chris Rattue fancies a Southern Hemisphere triumph in the World Cup - but maybe not from the men in black.

The All Blacks may have been the bookies favourites this year to take the World Cup but Australia's comprehensive Bledisloe Cup victory has shed a whole new light on the tournament.

Given last year's Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup results, and the way the All Blacks were pulverised in their last test, it is hard to work out why New Zealand should even retain their World Cup favouritism, especially ahead of Australia.

For this punters' money, the Ockers should be heading to the World Cup as title favourites.

Man for man, experience for experience, tactic for tactic, they are the equal or ahead of the All Blacks, who still have some significant holes in their plan - particularly the loose forward make-up and the inside backs.

Australian coach Rod Macqueen has re-jigged his forward pack, opting to put more mobility in his second row so he can go for a more solid front row.

The significant newcomer in the Australian forward plan is Queensland lock Mark Connors, a player very much in the back row - lock mould rather than being a dedicated lock.

Connors may struggle to remain in the starting XV with David Giffin a likely partner for John Eales, but Macqueen must be sorely tempted to stick with the high workrate Queenslander.

Connors did not figure too prominently in Queensland's Super 12 campaign last year, when coach John Connolly relied on Eales and Garrick Morgan in the middle of the pack.

But after converting to lock for the Reds, who were missing the injured Eales, Connors had a fine season - statistics alone showing him to figure highly in everything from lineout work to carrying the ball among the Super 12 locks.

It is surprising that he did not get an earlier call-up as Australia tried to cover for the absence of Eales and an out-of-form Tom Bowman this year.

The bottom line is that even though Australia do not have a forward pack to be absolutely feared, and they rely on a plan which takes into account their relatively slow loose forwards, they will have a pack that competes with everyone. And if Eales is fit and well, they will do better than most in the lineout.

Which leaves their backs as the potential match winners of this World Cup.

There simply isn't a weakness in that backline. Everything from the cheek of halfback George Gregan, the class of Stephen Larkham if he is fit, through to Matt Burke's composure and all-round kicking skills from fullback reeks of quality. And in centre Daniel Herbert, they have found a player who rules supreme in his position at the moment.

The other great weapon the Australian backs have is their combination. They can make space for runners seemingly out of nothing, and appear totally in-tune with their defensive patterns which often involve their tough midfield smashing the opposition down before the ball gets too wide.

Nick Mallett's South Africa, though, are a much harder unit to judge, despite their face-saving win over Australia in the Tri-Nations.

Their game plan is disjointed, they have some glaring weaknesses especially in the outside backs and particularly if they persist with Percy Montgomery at fullback, and they struggle to construct tries.

The comeback from injury of Joost van der Westhuizen at halfback showed what effect one quality player in a key position can have on a side. The big questions are what effect the return of Bobby Skinstad and Henry Honiball can have on their campaign.

Honiball has struggled with injuries and might not quite be the player he was. But if he strikes form and can instil his pattern on the Springboks, and Skinstad can add some speed and creativity in the forwards, they will be dangerous. Still, they are a side beset by political and injury problems, and there are just too many ifs, buts and maybes involved.

For this punter's small wagers, if a southern hemisphere team are to lift the trophy then the well organised Australians with their talented backline are the slight favourites ahead of the All Blacks.