Kolbe tips northern giants as World Cup 'Favourites'
South Africa’s Rugby World Cup winning wing Cheslin Kolbe said that France are “favourites” for next year’s competition.
Les Bleus emphatically beat New Zealand in November before winning their first Six Nations title since 2010 in March.
The tournaments hosts are in Pool A with three-time winners the All Blacks, Italy, Uruguay and Japan.
“I think the French boys are definitely the favourites going into the World Cup,” Kolbe told Canal+.
“Particularly with the World Cup being in France, it will be good for them,” he added at French rugby’s annual awards ceremony.
Kolbe’s Springboks, the reigning champions, are in Pool B with Ireland, Scotland, Tonga and Romania.
The Toulon three-quarter missed the recent Rugby Championship for his country with a broken jaw.
He is set to return in time for the Boks’ November Tests against Ireland, France, Italy and England three years on from lifting the Webb Ellis trophy in Japan.
“Eleven months to the World Cup. Time’s gone quickly since Japan,” Kolbe said.
“It would be good for the Springboks to keep the trophy but France played really well at the Six Nations,” he added.
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Dont know if the Irish players said it or not, but lets all be honest with ourselves, and hopefully both the Irish and French have healed by now, the Media did jump the gun, be realistic, according to 90% of the media it was a France and Ireland final, and the media had 1 of them winning the world cup, not even mentioning the All blacks? Just remember world cups are different, Australia was not the most in form cricket tean in the last cricket world cup, but they have a nack of winning when it matters. I wont go into whether what Etzabeth is saying is true, all I am saying is that its very easy for a team to get ahead of themselves due to the media. Nothing wrong with it, the media got the springboks over confident against England and we nearly lost that one.
Go to commentsHey Finn, Well done to the Junior Wallabies…a win is a win but it was a wet and scrappy game. Would be interesting to hear your opinion on two things from watching the game at the Not So Sunny Coast Stadium. Firstly, what is your opinion on the rule change of being able to call The Mark from a kick off and what is the reason for the change? Secondly, your thoughts on the lack of action for the high tackle on the SA fullback. I understand the TMO ruled that he had fallen into the tackle and the tackler didn’t have time to adjust but it was clearly shoulder on head and the Aussie 11 had not made any attempt to adjust his tackle height leading into the tackle. In my opinion he was never going to get his tackle technique correct to complete a safe tackle. If that tackle was made at a more senior and more scrutinised level would we have seen the same result?
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