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SYDNEY - Wallabies' coach John Connolly has ridiculed the perception that the New Zealand All Blacks are World Cup chokers in the countdown to the tournament in France.
The All Blacks, winners of the inaugural World Cup in New Zealand in 1987, have come up short at subsequent tournaments despite having dominated international rugby for most of the past two decades.
Three times New Zealand have been eliminated at the semi-final stage by Australia in 1991 and 2003 and by France in 1999 and when they reached the 1995 final they lost to the Springboks.
Yet again there is speculation that the All Blacks, clearly the number one team in world rugby, might choke again under pressure in France in October.
But Connolly is not one of those who subscribe to the view that the All Blacks are chokers even if his Wallabies do meet New Zealand in the semi-final in Paris in mid-October as seeded.
"That whole choker thing is just nonsense," Connolly told The Australian newspaper.
"The All Blacks were probably over-confident when they played Australia in the last World Cup after beating them 50-21 earlier in 2003 and then they eased off against France in 1999 when they led 24-10 five minutes into the second half.
"They thought they had it in the bag but then France had a bit of luck and their whole game ignited, as it always can.
"I don't think any of that will have any relevance at all this time."
Of more pressing concern for Connolly is who are likely to be the Wallabies' opponents in their anticipated quarter-final appearance in Marseille.
Connolly said he would rather face South Africa in the quarterfinals than defending World Cup champions England.
Barring some unexpected heroics from Samoa in the matches of South Africa and England's pool and the Wallabies losing to Wales in their group, Australia will face either South Africa or England in the first sudden-death match.
Most critics here believe the Springboks are the team for the Wallabies to avoid in the first knockout phase.
But Connolly isn't so sure. "You know what you're going to get from the Springboks," Connolly told the newspaper.
"But this England side is dangerous across the board. Its core game - its scrum and lineout - is very strong, it has a lot of good young backrowers.
"It has Jonny Wilkinson at fly-half and it has pace at the back. You can do a lot of damage with those components."
Connolly concedes that former Wallabies' coach Eddie Jones' defection to Jake White's coaching staff had added an unpredictable element to the long-familiar Springboks pattern.
"It's a huge advantage when someone jumps ship so quickly and unexpectedly," Connolly said.
"He (Jones) has taken a lot of intellectual property with him. He knows how Australia breaks down the Springboks and he knows all the strengths and weaknesses of the Wallabies.
"It's hard to say whether he'll change their game. Maybe he'll have the same influence on the Springboks that he had on Queensland (the Reds finished last in this year's Super 14 provincial series)."
- AFP
