David Kirk's 'embarrassing' All Blacks verdict and his RWC 2023 tip

David Kirk has branded last weekend’s record defeat for the All Blacks as embarrassing – but he can still see them winning Rugby World Cup 2023 even though he doesn't see them as favourites.

New Zealand stopped off in London en route to the finals in France only to suffer a painful 7-35 Twickenham hammering against the Springboks.

That result has led to Kirk – the 1987 All Blacks World Cup winning captain – reappraising his thoughts on South Africa heading into the tournament, believing they are now a big threat to retain the title they won in Japan in 2019.

As for New Zealand, who open their campaign on September 8 versus France in Paris, as hurtful as he believes the loss in England to the Boks was, Kirk hasn’t lost all belief that Ian Foster’s side can still emerge as champions when the final is held in Paris on October 28.

Asked by rugbyworldcup.com for his thoughts on the five-tries-to-one hammering at English rugby HQ, Kirk replied: “There is no way the All Blacks are going to play that badly again.

“It was embarrassing and no one likes to be embarrassed and no one likes to know they have let the team down badly. There are no excuses and they won’t be looking for excuses, they will just be angry with themselves and know that they will have to do better.

“What I think it has made clear – to them and to other people – you have to be able to play in with a level of physical presence and intensity and accuracy, particularly in the forwards, for a long period of time. You have to keep going back to the well.

“The All Blacks took the Springboks apart in the first 20 minutes of the Rugby Championship game at Eden Park. They smashed them in the forwards, dominated them in the set-piece and 35 minutes into the game, it was 20-3, and they ended up winning 35-17.

“I remember we were absolutely mauled by the French in the final Test in Nantes, and we hadn’t forgotten that. Another level of physical intensity was required and these All Blacks will have learned that.”

What is his hunch regarding who is going to be crowned Rugby World Cup 2023 champions? “Prior to the South Africa game, I would have dropped them [the Springboks] out of the top three and said Ireland or France or the All Blacks. That result changes things a bit but they will have to play like that more than once.

“The All Blacks can win, and I’d like to see them win, but I don’t think they should be considered the favourites to win. For me, the favourites are France and Ireland and, all things being equal, with both teams playing to the best of their ability and with France at home, France can win.

"They have contributed a lot to World Cups over the years and it would be nice to see them get some recognition as a world champion.”

• Click here to read the full David Kirk interview by Jon Newcombe on rugbyworldcup.com