Slade good enough to be there - he just has to play his own game

[1] Colin Slade.
Do or die. Shape up or ship home.

There's been a big change in mood at this World Cup. Every team left alive realises it is playing for keeps.

It's a pretty simple formula: you have to play the best rugby you can over the next three weeks if you want to lift that cup above your head.

Like everyone, I was sad to see Dan Carter go down with injury. But I don't think he's the be-all and end-all of that All Black team. The squad is full of great players.

Colin Slade isn't Dan Carter.

But he just has to play his own game and remember test rugby is that much faster than Super 15.

He's good enough to be here.

He just has to be himself.

Slade is a young talent. He's going to be a great player for the future. This World Cup is his chance to get blooded for future World Cups.

It's sink or swim. And I'm sure he's going to swim if he believes in himself.

He'll need some help from his halfback. He knows Jimmy Cowan from the Highlanders.

Piri Weepu is a top player, too.

Personally, I'd like to see Jimmy there. That'll flow on nicely into the Highlanders next year. Jimmy's a great player and he's also a real tough nut.

It goes without saying the experienced players in the All Black backline need to step up.

But they'd need to do that even if Carter was playing.

Everyone in the team needs to play out of their skins over the next three weeks. If they do that, we can win this cup.

Argentina is playing reasonably well. But the Pumas aren't anywhere near the All Blacks in terms of talent. They rely heavily on their scrum, which I don't think is up to the standard it set four years ago.

They can play exciting rugby.

But it just doesn't seem to me they have that magic ingredient they had in 2007.

I think the All Blacks will win that quarterfinal quite comfortably.

I've been really impressed with the Irish. Their confidence is right up there. They've dominated at scrum time and they can build on that.

They've also got a lot of experience in their backline, so I'm picking them to beat Wales.

South Africa should beat Australia. The Wallabies look rattled. They seem to be doubting themselves.

The Springboks know exactly who they are and they know they are capable of playing some good rugby. I definitely see them as our biggest competition.

I think the French have just lost the plot. Their captain is making excuses all over the place, and I think that has filtered down to everyone else.

They're passing blame and they don't want to take any responsibility.

I think they thought they were better than what they were.

They lost two games and had a close call against Japan, and it seems to have really shaken them up.

The English don't play attractive rugby but they know how to win, and when it comes to the big games, they front up.

So I definitely see England making the semifinals.

 - Kees Meeuws