Only one side should worry ABs - Hart

Name: All Blacks: McCaw 'we have earned another week'
Uploaded: 2015-10-18T13:19:50+13:00
Duration: 309 s
Description: A stunning win was met with a muted response by the All Blacks this morning. Their brilliant rugby pleased them, allowed them satisfaction, but it didn't have coach Steve Hansen believing anything other than they are now in the semifinal. That was it as far as he and captain Richie McCaw were concerned: they are a game closer to what they came to do but it all starts again this week.

Herald online

18 Oct, 2015 01:54 AM2 mins to read

A stunning win was met with a muted response by the All Blacks this morning. Their brilliant rugby pleased them, allowed them satisfaction, but it didn't have coach Steve Hansen believing anything other than they are now in the semifinal. That was it as far as he and captain Richie McCaw were concerned: they are a game closer to what they came to do but it all starts again this week.

The All Blacks are in irresistible form and will run over South Africa in the World Cup semifinals, says former national coach John Hart.

The 1999 World Cup All Blacks coach was hugely impressed with the nine-try romp over France in this morning's quarter-finals in Cardiff and doesn't believe that on the evidence of their struggling win over Wales in the sudden death match played at Twickenham a few hours earlier, South Africa can beat New Zealand.

"There's only one team that worries me and that's Australia," Hart said.

"I think they are the only team that has the skill levels and the improved performance at the scrum, (that) they could test us.

"South Africa were inadequate today. Sure they won but they they just ground down Wales physically. There's no fluency in their attack, they don't look as though they can play the game at pace. I think if the All Blacks can start well against South Africa and can play with pace and control as they have they could put a score on South Africa as well."

Hart described the record 62-13 win as one of the great All Blacks performances.

"There's been a lot of people who have questioned the All Blacks," he said. "I think you have to go back to just remembering what we did at Eden Park against Australia after a disappointment in Sydney. And this performance really was right up there with one of the very good performances by an All Black team.

"There have been concerns about old age, about Dan Carter...we've heard it for so long and now I think we just need to sit back and reflect on what we've got which is very special rugby team that we hope will go all the way and get in behind them and stop the criticism and really enjoy the occasion."

"It was a team that played with panache, physicality and skill and their defence was equal to their attack.....it was a very, very special performance."