KEY POINTS:
Colin Meads said the All Blacks have learnt their lesson and won't be going into the World Cup too cocky.
"They're getting back to last year's form and they'll be on track," Meads said.
He said the All Blacks started off scratchy in the Tri-Nations but got better as the competition progressed.
"The one problem we have is if there are injury problems to Carter and McCaw and those sort of players. They're valuable to New Zealand and we need them 100 per cent fit," Meads said.
He said he has absolute faith in the "wise men" of the All Blacks management team.
Meads said the 2003 team was not as well balanced.
"We were the favourites then too. The worst thing that happened to us is we struck Australia in the semi-final. We had beaten them two or three times that year and I think we were a little over confident," Meads said
He said over-confidence has always been part of rugby but the All Blacks have learnt their lesson.
"One of our sayings was the next game you ever play is the most important, whether it be a club game or an international.
"A lot of games you are meant to win easy, you struggle like hell."
And there may be a few of those with the strength of the Northern hemisphere an unknown, Meads said.
"I still think South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and France are the top five," he said.
He said France have a tall-ask with Argentina and Ireland in their pool and we may meet the French before the final.
He also rates the Pumas to create some upsets.
Meads said the All Blacks are favourites and South Africa is the team to beat.
Final prediction
New Zealand versus South Africa
New Zealand to win by 10 points.
Colin Mead's All Black career
(Source: www.allblacks.com)
Full Name: Colin Earl Meads
Born: June 3, 1936
Position: Lock and loose forward
All Black Debut: May 18, 1957
Matches: 133, 11 as captain
All Black points: 86, 28 tries, 1 conversion.
YOUR PREDICTIONS
It's only weeks away from the Rugby World Cup and we want to hear your predictions of who will win. Who do you think will be in the final and what do you think the score will be?
We'll run your predictions online and you could be the winner by picking the right score.
The winner gets to the right to call themselves the Rugby Brain of New Zealand... and our sports team at nzherald.co.nz will also rustle up a prize for the most accurate prediction.
