McCow - All Black omen to bete noire

McCow has given his namesake Richie McCaw the cold shoulder - plumping for Les Bleus in their match against New Zealand at Eden Park. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Sacre bleu! Vous etes fou? Richie McCow has jumped the fence to pick France to beat the All Blacks tomorrow.

With that prediction, the world-famous All Black omen risks becoming a bete noire.

But the Northland bull's owner, Kyle Underwood, maintained Richie's prediction was butchered after France chose to use a "B team" against the All Blacks.

"I think there was a good chance he got it right - there probably still is a chance - but it's much slimmer after they picked their B team. I think this prediction will really show whether he's a true psychic calf. He's definitely walking a thin line with this one."

Mr Underwood admitted he was "deeply" concerned about the young bull's pick and said: "I don't know how much faith I have in this one, or I don't know how much faith I want to have in this one."

Earlier this month, Richie picked between two milk bottles for each of New Zealand's matches - one was plastered with the All Blacks' banner and the other with the opposition team's flag.

Until his latest selection, the black and white bull has backed black - and got it right. But this week he "steaked" his reputation on the Frenchies.

Anyone who has a beef with Richie's selection has to remember he's just a calf, Mr Underwood said.

But even if Richie gets it wrong, he's promised the calf won't end up as beef bourguignon.

"There is the option that he gets castrated if he gets it wrong - I haven't ruled it out."

Mr Underwood added that Richie was morphing into an enfant terrible, and demands food. "He just expects it and doesn't appreciate it."