England, Ireland and Wales are ‘real contenders’ for World Cup, says Stuart Barnes

Stuart Barnes has labelled England, Ireland and Wales ‘real contenders’ to win the World Cup this autumn on the back of last Saturday’s incredible finish to the Six Nations.

Ireland were crowned champions but after an afternoon dominated by high tempo, attacking rugby, Barnes is convinced that England and Wales, as well as the Six Nations champions, can challenge the Southern Hemisphere sides for Webb Ellis Cup.

“What I saw in attack from England convinced me that they can be contenders,” he said. “I watched Wales score 60 points, I saw Scotland take a 40 point hammering [from Ireland].

“We got used to New Zealand coming over in the autumn and putting 40 points on Scotland or somebody else and saying ‘well they’re the All Blacks’.

“Suddenly we have three nations of the six who are able to do that and I think that Ireland, Wales and England have found a confidence and a positivity to take to the World Cup. All of them are real contenders to win it.”

However, to do so Barnes insists that the trio must resist the urge to revert to type and instead continue to play a more expansive game.

“England, Wales and Ireland nearly always come up short against the very best,” he added.

“Let’s just say the template is New Zealand, because we have power, we can be bigger and stronger than New Zealand but without generating the pace they can absorb it and they hit us like a boxer on the counter punch.

“What we showed was power and no shortage of skill and I don’t think Steve Hansen would like watching the Welsh pack, the Irish and England do what they can do.

“He’d look at that and say ‘if we’re wrong on our day, anyone of those teams could beat us’. I think it has really opened this World Cup up.”