10 Sep 2011

Only three teams can win World Cup: Queensland Reds coach

1:58 am on 10 September 2011

The coach of Super Rugby champions the Queensland Reds has likened the Rugby World Cup to a grand slam tennis tournament and says there are only three genuine contenders.

Just as the so-called Big Three of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have dominated tennis majors for the past six years, Ewen McKenzie suspects only New Zealand, Australia and England are capable of winning seven consecutive matches to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.

McKenzie who was a Wallabies assistant coach to Eddie Jones when Australia reached the 2003 World Cup final in Sydney, rates South Africa, France, Ireland, Wales and Scotland as outsiders.

McKenzie says injuries and luck will play a part in the tournament but ultimately believes there are only three teams capable of winning seven games straight.