According to English rugby great Sir Clive Woodward, the All Blacks are just one person away from being unstoppable at next year's Rugby World Cup in Japan.
In a column for the Daily Mail, Woodward, who led England to World Cup victory in 2003, believed one of hisown coaching staff members, former performance coach Dave Alred, was the man the All Blacks should case if they wished to lift their game.
Woodward said Alred, who is widely acknowledged as one of the best performance coaches in the world, would be the answer to what he believed were the All Blacks' only weaknesses.
Former England rugby head coach Sir Clive Woodward. Photo / Getty
"They [the All Blacks] are one person away from being unbeatable and that person is Dave Alred, who was so influential on my coaching staff and is now a guru to Ryder Cup star Francesco Molinari," Woodward wrote.
"Beauden Barrett's goalkicking can be a little in and out and some of their decision-making — not going for a match-winning drop goal against the Boks in Wellington last month — is a tad naive.
"If they had signed [Alred] all bets would be off, the All Blacks would win the next World Cup and it amazes me one of the top nations, including England, have not made this happen."
As the All Blacks prepare for their European tour following a Bledisloe Cup clean sweep over the Wallabies, Woodward offered some words of support for England head coach Eddie Jones.
England kicking coach Dave Alred. Photo / Getty
Believing in no way that Jones' position was in danger, Woodward said England remain in a good position to claim the Rugby World Cup.
"Eddie is an experienced world-class coach who took England to 22 wins in 23 matches in the first two years of his tenure," he wrote.
"This year has been much more difficult, with big injuries and, it must be said, some poor decisions and distractions, but England remain capable of winning the World Cup and that is what he will ultimately be judged on. So there are no minimum requirements this autumn.
"Speculation coming out from senior people at the RFU about the next coach is just another distraction which has blighted England's progress ... They must get the whole organisation behind Jones and everyone focusing on nothing else but the next game. If anyone thinks they know better then remove them — this is not a schoolboy outing!"
