Rugby World Cup 2011
Lynagh: Boks are too old
2011-09-09 10:10
Michael Lynagh during in his heyday (Gallo Images)
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Cape Town – In the build up to the much
anticipated RWC, a host of prominent rugby personalities have aired their view
on how they see the spectacle to unfold.
GALLERY: Springbok signing session
GALLERY: Boks build towards Wales matchFormer Wallaby captain and flyhalf, Michael
Lynagh believes that hosts, New Zealand are the favourites to lift the Webb
Ellis Cup and that defending champions, the Springboks are too old to retain
it.
“There is a view that a lot of the South
African forwards may be a little aged. A
lot of them were involved in the last World Cup and it’s a fact no nation has
ever won back-to-back World Cups and a lot of the time that’s the reason why.
Players that won a World Cup hold on a little bit long and want to do another
one. It’s difficult to argue against,” Lynagh said on Laureus’ website.
He attributed
the Boks chances at the RWC to their poor performance in the Tri Nations and
South African teams not doing as well in this season’s Super 15.
Lynagh, who
is Australia’s leading points scorer in Test rugby, also said that he still
thinks the All Blacks will be crowned champions, despite not living up to their
billing in the last five editions of the tournament.
“I’ve said it for the last heavens knows
how many World Cups, but New Zealand to win. They’ve been unfortunate in the
last World Cups, they’re a good team and they’re at home. So it’s theirs to
lose. You wouldn’t get very good odds on them, so my value money probably would
be with Australia or South Africa, but it’s going to be very interesting how
New Zealand deal with the pressure.”