WELLINGTON – New Zealand are heading to France with their most-capped Rugby World Cup squad ever but also with their championship credentials up in the air, after a roller-coaster of form under coach Ian Foster.

The All Blacks enter the Sept 8-Oct 28 tournament after a 35-7 thrashing by world champions South Africa in late August, their worst defeat in 102 years of Tests and a major reality check after four straight wins.

Drawn with hosts France, Italy, Uruguay and Namibia, the Kiwis can expect to canter out of Pool A – but their path to the decider is treacherous.

Unless Scotland tear up the form book in Pool B, they will meet holders South Africa again in the quarter-finals or world No. 1 Ireland, who have had the New Zealanders’ measure in recent years.

Having built an all-conquering aura through back-to-back World Cup triumphs in 2011 and 2015, the All Blacks find themselves merely one of a number of strong contenders, unfamiliar territory for many of their fans.

But Foster was confident when asked if he thinks New Zealand can win the World Cup.

“I do. It’s a well-tested group that’s gone through a lot of adversity, stayed tight and found solutions,” he said.

His optimism was fuelled by an 11-match unbeaten run, dating back to September 2022, until their chastening loss to South Africa at Twickenham.

But stopped at the semi-finals in Japan four years ago, the All Blacks’ regeneration under Foster has not entirely gone to script.

Though 17 of their squad are playing in their first World Cup, some are carrying the country’s hopes of a fourth title on ageing shoulders, like hooker Dane Coles, 36, as well as warhorse locks Brodie Retallick, 32, and Sam Whitelock, 34.

With a combined 1,493 Test caps, this is the All Blacks’ most experienced World Cup squad in history.

Foster has already been ruled out of another tilt at rejuvenating the squad, with Scott Robertson to replace him after the World Cup, a decision made in March and against the incumbent’s wishes.

That he was allowed a last hurrah in France still grates with some home fans, who would have preferred him packed off in 2022 after the first home Series defeat by Ireland and their first home loss to Argentina.

Instead, the axe fell on Foster’s assistants, with Jason Ryan coming in to fix the forwards and former Ireland coach Joe Schmidt to help with the attack.

The rejigged set-up has brought a marked improvement in the set pieces and a more accurate kicking game, enabling a return to the team’s attacking DNA.

Consistency of selections has also helped.

Players in several positions have rewarded the new selection panel’s faith, with Scott Barrett stepping up to become one of the world’s premier locks and his brother Jordie offering a new dimension at midfield.

Jordie, however, is a fitness doubt for the opening match of the World Cup against hosts France on Friday.

Blindside flanker Shannon Frizell has also made the No. 6 shirt his own, filling a position that had long proved vexing for staff.

But those gains were quickly forgotten last week as the All Blacks crumbled under South African pressure and conceded three yellow cards at Twickenham.

Foster insisted there was “no panicking” after the result and his playing group have a lot of belief in their game.

“That performance is going to take a lot of heat off us. No one is going to rate us now, which is quite nice. We’ll just go and prepare quietly and get stuck in,” he said.

Foster has spelt out the challenge awaiting them in France. New Zealand have won only one of their three world titles away from home, when Steve Hansen steered them to the 2015 title in England.

The coach has given his team a simple figure to mull over.

“I wrote a number on a whiteboard and it was ‘one out of seven’ – that’s how many World Cups we have won away from home,” said Foster. “The challenge is huge – but that is exactly where we want to be.” REUTERS, AFP