Henry Expects Northern Tests for NZ

All Blacks coach Graham Henry expects the northern hemisphere sides to raise their game during this year's Rugby World Cup.

Tournament hosts New Zealand have been knocked out by France in two of the past three events and Graham is again wary of the European threat that will be posed in the autumn.

England emerged as winners of the 2011 RBS Six Nations but missed out on a Grand Slam after losing to Ireland in the final round of fixtures.

Henry expects those two teams to be strong again and also expects Les Bleus to be a real danger once more.

"The Irish finished strongly in the Six Nations. They are a very dangerous side because they have players in the back-line who can create. I think they'll be strong," he said.

"I think England are improving, they played better football this year and they'll get better with time together.

"And at the All Blacks (we have to be wary of) France, don't we, and rightly so. We don't know what's going to happen there but we imagine they'll play very well."

Favourites

The All Blacks will go into the tournament as huge favourites to ends a World Cup drought that stretches back to 1987, but Henry thinks his side cannot expect to have everything their own way.

He added: "A lot of sides play at a higher level in World Cups than they do in normal Test matches. They play with more emotion and more physicality.

"We have to try and cater for the unexpected, because those things are likely to happen.

"And with the sudden death nature of the competition, it's different from a normal Test match or a Tri-Nations where you might get a second chance of winning that particular tournament."

The former Wales boss also believes that the tournament will be played in a more expansive style than four years ago, when the knock-out stages contained several defensive encounters.

"I think there'll be more use of the ball than there was in 2007, the weather conditions may play a part," Henry said.

"You usually get a bit of rain in September, October in Auckland so it'll be interesting to see how that pans out.

"It will be more expansive than 2007, I think if you try and play in that style (a cautious kicking game) you won't win."