Abu Dhabi: England are ‘a team with no weaknesses’ and can survive the enormous pressure of being Rugby World Cup hosts to win the tournament later this year, according to South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer.
He is particularly wary of the threat posed by a player he once mentored at Leicester, Manu Tuilagi, who is currently injured but will return for the September-October showpiece.
But while he appreciates England’s strengths, Meyer is confident he can cope with the crushing weight of expectation in rugby-mad South Africa and clinch the Springboks’ first global crown since 2007.
He said: “We definitely feel we can win and if you don’t go in there believing you can win, you shouldn’t coach. So there’s always pressure on South Africa, so it will be great for spectators back home. But all countries are proud, so it doesn’t count much, you just have to stay focused.”
Of England’s home advantage, he told media on the sidelines of the Laureus awards in Shanghai: “I think there’s always pressure on the home nations, but I think it can bring the best out of the teams. If you look at previous World Cups, the hosts have done well, been in finals and some have gone on to win it.
“They can absorb the pressure and use it to their advantage.”
He added of Stuart Lancaster’s men: “They are a quality side now. It’s not one or two players – if you’re going to win the World Cup, you shouldn’t have any weaknesses and you should have depth because you are going to get injuries over seven games.
“They’ve got a quality backs, their scrummaging has always been very strong and they’ve got good ball carriers, which they probably didn’t have way back, and they’re very good in defence and I think suddenly they’ve got a lot of depth at 10 as well and suddenly they’ve got three or four great 10s.
“They are a quality, well-balanced side. It’s not one or two players.
“You have to prepare for a team and England are a team with no weaknesses and I think they’ll definitely be won of the favourites [to win the World Cup].”
England were runners-up to Ireland in the recent Six Nations, walloping France 55-35 on the final day but missing out on the title on points difference.
But they were without several key men, including the rampaging centre-cum-wing Tuilagi, who is recovering from a persistent groin injury.
Meyer is eager to see the Samoa-born star return for the good of the game, but admits he would rather watch him than play against him.
He said: “The nice thing about rugby is – although you don’t want to play against him – I believe all coaches want to see the best players out there and playing especially if you’ve coached them. He’s really improved, he’s a quality, quality player and what he does well for England is he gets to go forward.
“Because he’s so difficult to bring down, you always get momentum in midfield and once they get forward it’s difficult to stop the England pack, so for them I think it’s very important he’s ready to go although they’ve got depth he’s a quality player.”
South Africa, who are second in the rugby world rankings behind New Zealand, are in Pool B of the World Cup, alongside Scotland, USA, Japan and Samoa.
Meyer is already looking ahead to the knockout stages, however.
He said: “We have a very tough road. If we go through, we probably face Australia, England or Wales, who are all quality sides and then if things worked out for most teams there’s a chance we’re playing New Zealand and then maybe England. So for us not as much about our pool but if do go, through it’s a very tough road.”
