All Blacks: World Cup parallel irritates Hansen

It was the arrogance in referencing Sunday's test at Twickenham as a potential World Cup final that bugged All Black coach Steve Hansen.

And with good reason. The draw next year is set up so the All Blacks could very well play England in the final. It's also set up so the All Blacks could be dumped out in the quarter-final. Or England could fail to make it out of their pool.

Only the seriously arrogant and/or ignorant would be so presumptuous as to believe the All Blacks, by virtue of winning 24-21 in London in their last visit there before the World Cup, now hold some kind of psychological advantage.

What the All Blacks did at the weekend was win a test match with a performance that was about equal parts good and bad. Their mental strength was impressive, so too the way they upped the urgency and accuracy at a time when other sides might have wilted.

But as happened in Brisbane, they failed to transition their attacking game from the forwards to the backs. They were barely a pass at the set-piece and their goal-kicking was sloppy.

If they perform like that in a knock-out game next year, they will probably be going home. England would definitely be going home.

Anyone who thinks differently is horribly out of touch and results over the weekend showed just how little there is between the top sides.

Ireland trounced South Africa, Scotland went ballistic against the Pumas, Wales were a whisker from beating the Wallabies and England, albeit flattered by the scoreline, were just three points off the All Blacks.

There is an unfortunate Southern Hemisphere tendency to doubt the quality of the rugby played north of the equator.

To an extent, there is reason for the scepticism. The all-round individual skill of the northern teams is a fraction behind - not so much in absolute terms, more in the ability to relentlessly execute the basics from minute one to 80 and certainly to pass and catch under pressure.

Collectively, the southern teams tend to have greater cohesion away from the structured phases and are happier playing on instinct.

That's a general rule. But in one-off tests - which is really the only way a World Cup can be viewed - the northern sides can deliver winning rugby.

Ireland have great players. So do Wales and England. The Scots, now they have a decent coach, may show they do, too. Ireland in particular are growing into something of a concern.

The All Blacks are potentially destined to meet Ireland in the quarter-final - in Cardiff - and surely no one needs reminding of the history? New Zealand would need to be only 1 per cent off next year and Ireland will make them pay.

Wales are maybe just a little behind. They should have beaten South Africa in the Republic in June and had the Wallabies on the rack for long periods at the weekend. They can't find that killer punch but they will land one soon and probably find the confidence to win more often.

Hansen said it all when he responded to questions about what the Twickenham victory meant for the All Blacks' World Cup chances.

"There is no psychological advantage if we don't make it to the next stage to play them," he said. "It is not going to be about one team. It is going to be about five or six."