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Singapore - While offloads, darting runs, switch moves and sidesteps will make highlight packages and please fans it will be good old fashioned forward grunt that will win the Rugby World Cup, former New Zealand winger Jonah Lomu said.
Australia's Will Genia and Quade Cooper have led the way with attacking, backs-led rugby over the last two years with Ireland coach Declan Kidney also preferring the style and opting for Jonathan Sexton over the more conservative Ronan O'Gara.
But Lomu, who played in 63 Tests for the All Blacks and scored 37 tries, said that without the hard work of the forwards to steal and retain possession, flyhalves Cooper and Sexton will be unable to spark attacks in New Zealand.
"For me it is up front for this World Cup that I believe is going to be the difference," Lomu told Reuters in a recent interview in Singapore.
"In New Zealand you are going to have to get down to the nitty gritty of good old fashioned hard rugby and it is going to be won up front, I truly think that and it has always been like that to.
"It is basic rugby. Your forwards win the ball, get the go forward, get your backs on the front foot and you'll have a better day."
Best placed to implement that tactic are New Zealand, Lomu predictably suggested.
"It is theirs for them to lose, everything is in their court, no complaints, no nothing, they have got everything there."
With solid form and an abundance of talent in all positions, New Zealand are heavy favourites to add to their sole World Cup success 24 years ago in the inaugural tournament, which they hosted.
Lomu, easily the most recognisable rugby player of the professional generation, acknowledges, however, that the All Blacks' form counts for nothing in a tournament with such unique pressures.
"That's the thing about World Cups, there are so many hidden elements of a tournament," Lomu explained.
"You can't look at past games, you can't look at playing a Six Nations or Test matches, the World Cup tournament is a completely different thing and different mentality and it's a different sort of mind set that you have.
"If you backtrack yourself and have a look at the past records, teams that do well in World Cups never do well prior to it apart from one team - the All Blacks. They always play well up until World Cups."
It's for that reason that Lomu believes the Sept. 9-Oct. 23 World Cup is wide open for a number of teams to win.
Having talked up the chances of South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the northern hemisphere teams, Lomu revealed a sneaking suspicion that Ireland could go close.
"You just have to look at the results they have had through the Heineken Cup and watching them in the Six Nations you can just see that there is something brewing there.
"I think they will deliver. If I know the Irish they are very emotional and they bring a lot of passion to the game and I believe they will bring something that everybody will talk about."
Lomu's prediction carries some weight having backed Argentina, who surprisingly finished third, four years ago.
"Everybody thought I was nuts as I chose Argentina and that was like a year out from the World Cup and people asked: 'What were you thinking?"
Argentina's run was based on a huge pack and the formidable boot and game management of flyhalf Juan Martin Hernandez.
But with the laws having changed and the game moving on success will require line breaks and scoring tries, something which Lomu thinks will lead to an exciting spectacle.
"2011 will be the most explosive World Cup you are going to find," said Lomu smiled.
