KEY POINTS:
Former All Blacks rugby coach John Mitchell has turned the spotlight on Springboks flanker Schalk Burger as the man for World Cup referees to watch -- not Richie McCaw.
Mitchell said McCaw, one of his players in the unsuccessful 2003 World Cup bid, was being unfairly targeted by opponents in the tournament leadup.
The Wallabies and Springboks both claimed McCaw pushed the breakdown laws to the limit during the Tri-Nations.
"There are people out there who are creating a focus on him," Mitchell told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.
"Burger is one person you want to focus on. He doesn't keep his feet well. He plays right on the line. But I don't think he is as accurate as Richie in that area.
"(McCaw) is very long in the upper body, so his greatest asset is that he keeps his feet as long as he can.
"While you are a fetcher of ball, if you keep your feet, you are going to get more favourable decisions than ones that go against you.
"When he is told to release, or given a chance and he has created the slow ball, I guess half of his body doesn't roll away. That's the thing most opposition coaches and opponents get annoyed with."
Mitchell said the All Blacks had learned valuable lessons from their 2003 semifinal defeat to the Wallabies, after which he was sacked as coach.
He recalled McCaw being penalised four times in a row by English referee Chris White in the 2003 semifinal and said the current All Blacks skipper would be "highly motivated" four years on.
The support of senior men Aaron Mauger, Reuben Thorne, Anton Oliver, Jerry Collins and Chris Jack was also invaluable, Mitchell said.
"(After) the experience a lot of those guys had in 2003, they will respect the occasion so much more," said Mitchell, who also predicted the All Blacks' reconditioning window during the Super 14 would also have a big impact later in the tournament which starts next month.
"There is going to be a physiological boost at some stage. The All Blacks would like to believe it is going to be in the knockout rounds."
- NZPA
