Wales 16-34 New Zealand
Hansen chases back-to-back World Cups
ESPN Staff
November 23, 2014
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen is chasing unprecedented back-to-back World Cup triumphs © Getty Images
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Head coach Steve Hansen has laid down the challenge to the All Blacks to become the first team ever to win back-to-back World Cups.

New Zealand went unbeaten in 2013 and lost just one game this year, to the Springboks in Johannesburg after having already won the Rugby Championship for the third successive season since their 2011 World Cup triumph on home soil.

On Saturday New Zealand wrapped up an unbeaten end of year tour with a 34-16 win over Wales in Cardiff that also saw them beat USA, England and Scotland.

"No one's won back-to-back World Cups so we shouldn't even be the favourites, but we will be because we're the number one side in the world," said Hansen after a late surge took them to a five-try win in Cardiff.

"If you're a betting man you wouldn't punt on us because it's not happened. But it's a great challenge because it has to happen one day so why not us? So that's our challenge, and that's massive because no one else's done it. And that's great because to win the World Cup you've got to be hungry, and maybe in the past we haven't been hungry enough.

"In 2007, we should have won it but we weren't the right dog because we didn't turn up with the right attitude. The reality is that we came expecting to win it. You have to go out and earn the right to win it.

"Everybody who rocks up at the World Cup, they'll have their formula, they'll use the luck you get because everyone gets luck, good and bad, it's about how you use it, then anyone can win this World Cup. It's been proven time and time again, you don't have to be the top dog to win, just the right dog."

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