Rugby World Cup: Herald readers fear England most

NZ Herald

17 Aug, 2015 09:14 PMQuick Read

Richie McCaw isn't a man given over to emotional scenes but admitted he left the Eden Park pitch with a lump in his throat as the crowd stood as one to applaud him tonight. His last test in New Zealand, his 142nd to create a world record, a thumping Bledisloe Cup victory after the disappointment of last weekend - it was nearly all too much for the man who must be considered one of the greatest All Blacks ever.

England are already World Cup winners - as the team most likely to bring down the All Blacks, according to the latest Herald sports poll.

Over a third of the 4000-plus respondents rated the World Cup hosts as presenting the greatest danger to the champion All Blacks, who are the hottest of favourites. South Africa won a quarter of the vote.

Of the six teams rated by the world's bookmakers as the strongest challengers to New Zealand, Wales were almost totally disregarded by those in the poll. Ireland, Australia and France were level pegging with about 12 per cent of the vote each.