RWC2015 Throwback: Hart urges Hansen to take All Blacks to another level

Former New Zealand coach John Hart believes Steve Hansen will need to take the All Blacks to another level if they are to become the first team to win the Rugby World Cup for a third time.

The defending champions go into the tournament as favourites but having failed to extend their streak of successive Rugby Championship titles to four.

New Zealand have never won the World Cup outside of their own country and face a tough ask to break that trend with hosts England, Australia, South Africa and Six Nations winners Ireland all expected to be in the running to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.

And Hart – who led New Zealand to the semi-finals in 1999 only to lose to France – told Omnisport: "I think Steve Hansen has done a brilliant job in coaching and leading the All Blacks. I think he's taken them to another level.

"I think they're far better now than the team in 2011 [World Cup]. I think in 2011 the team was a little bit shaky. We got away with a win, but I think he's taken the All Blacks to another level. And I think he'll need to again in 2015.

"I think he's dominated last year and been unbeaten last year. I think that's the first time we've been unbeaten since I coached in 1997 - I think we were unbeaten '97. But he's gone through without losing a game which is quite exceptional.

"The challenge that the All Blacks have now got is to prove that they can win a World Cup away, which so far they haven't been able to do.

"Going on current status, the All Blacks have to be the favourites. Does that mean they'll win? No.

"This is, in my view, going to be the best World Cup we've ever seen because I think there are five, if not six teams, who seriously could win the World Cup.

"That doesn't happen many years, it's normally two or three. But this year I think you've got a lot of teams who have huge potential and the ability to win on any given day."