RCWs are long competitions, making it hard to display the same level of fitness throughout the competition.

NZ fitness level sank during the second half, it may be because of the excrutiating heat.

Or it may be because NZ did not plan to be fit as fit from the very first game.

Schedule: NA, week off, IT, UR.

The game versus IT will tell it all, at this point, the weather is changed and if part of fitness program, NZ should show signs of much improved capability to sustain efforts.

It will tell what NZ side is to be expected for the quarter finals.

On the other hand, FR was readier, than expected maybe as a prestige victory was mandatory, maybe because they digested better the heat and humidity.

It may be hard for them to last the whole tournament.

horse manure!!! excuses, excuses...

Leave Trad alone Draad. He speaks a lot of sense!….

Moo....any sense in his twaddle is purely a coincidental fluke.

NZ is still a quality team and can still win the whole thing, but...

NZ cold win, but it'll take a whole lot of luck.

Win the quarter, easy semi, then its finals time.

They did hold France for a good while, so who knows.