All Blacks are obvious favourites: Springboks coach

Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer has declared the All Blacks obvious favourites. Photo / Getty

Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer has declared the All Blacks obvious favourites for the World Cup while insisting he would prefer his team to "fly under the radar" during the two-month tournament.

Meyer said the consistent nature of the All Blacks coaching and playing staff over the past four years meant New Zealand were in the box seat to repeat their 2011 triumph.

The Springboks, World Cup champions in 1995 and 2007, open their campaign against Japan at the Brighton Community Stadium on September 19 before their remaining pool games against Samoa, Scotland and USA.

"One thing New Zealand have for them is their continuity," Meyer told Rugby 365.

"They have more or less the same management team as the previous World Cup [in 2011], same captain and a similar team.

"There is a lot of continuity - obviously they are the favourites."

"However, if you look at some of the results in the last six weeks, then every team has lost [including the All Blacks] and it again shows it is what happens on the day.

"Every team can beat any team."

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He added he would prefer it if South Africa kept a low profile during the tournament and that success at the event would depend on their ability to win seven big games in succession.

"We want to stay under the radar, if that is possible for us," he said.

"All the opponents will be difficult and you have to approach each game as if it were a final.

"The challenge is to play seven great games in a row."

Meyer was pleased his side would not wear the favourites tag going into the World Cup, but reminded media his side had been able to beat every team both at home and away, bar the All Blacks.

"We are at our best when we are underdogs," said Meyer.

"The only team we have not beaten away from home is New Zealand.

"If we get our momentum from the outset, there is no reason why we can't beat any team on the day."

Meyer is close to finalising his squad for the tournament opener against Japan but admitted he is looking to juggle the needs of several players returning from injury and in need of game time.

"Most of the guys will be there [involved in the opening match], but one or two still need to put in some hard work," he said.

"We've studied Japan and it's not going to be easy.

"They bring a different challenge with a highly technical game. For us it is about taking off from the first game and building up momentum."

Meyer identified scrums, mauls and the breakdown as key areas in the Springboks' plans to win the World Cup.

"These are three areas that will determine the outcome of the tournament and we have spent a lot of time working on them."