Ewen McKenzie believes the 2011 Rugby World Cup is shaping up as the most competitive on record, claiming as many as eight countries are capable of lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy in New Zealand.
The Paris-based former NSW Waratahs coach says better forward planning will have the likes of Wales, Ireland, France and Argentina challenging traditional superpowers Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England for global bragging rights come the tournament's seventh edition in three years.
"It's actually interesting times," McKenzie said.
"For me, this is the first year where it looks to me where a lot of the countries are getting their timing right for the next World Cup.
"They're all sort of making the investment now for the next three years. In the past, that hasn't happened. People haven't cycled that well.
"Some teams have got to the line with an old team and fallen over, like the All Blacks. England got there - just - and then fell over very quickly.
"A lot of the teams now are actually making their three-year investment."
Including Wallabies coach Robbie Deans, who McKenzie believes is ahead of the game and has Australia on track for a record third World Cup triumph.
McKenzie, who lost out to Deans for the national job before taking the helm at Stade Francais, is thoroughly impressed by how Australia's first foreign coach has blooded so much young talent this season.
Deans has introduced 13 newcomers to the Wallabies fold since taking over in June and McKenzie points to veteran Phil Waugh's omission from the past two Test squads, including this Saturday's match-day 22 to tackle France, as firm evidence a "cycle change" is underway in Australian rugby.
And the more Australia win without the likes of Waugh and long-time first-choice winger Lote Tuqiri, the more the senior Wallabies will feel the pressure, the more the talent pool will grow and the better the results, according to McKenzie.
"That's the impressive part for me; how he's developed that side of it," McKenzie said.
"Australia has always been strong - and I know from talking to Robbie in the past - skills in the backline play is probably what's kept Australia very competitive; skills and intelligence.
"But he's added some steel there."
McKenzie said he often rated a nation's strength and World Cup prospects by how many players they would have included in a World XV.
At present, he said spots would probably be shared evenly among the nations, unlike recent times when the All Blacks dominated.
While flanker George Smith, midfield playmaker Matt Giteau and possibly centre Stirling Mortlock would be the only Wallabies to make a current World XV, McKenzie nominated winger Peter Hynes - who he rates as Deans' shrewdest Wallabies selection - halfback Luke Burgess, hooker Stephen Moore and prop Benn Robinson as potential candidates.
McKenzie said teams with half a dozen players in a World XV generally won the World Cup.
"If there was a World Cup tomorrow, I think it's a lottery," he said.
"Looking across the board, if you actually put them all out there tomorrow, it would be very even.
"There'd be five, six, seven or eight teams in it and it'd be on the day. Whereas in the past, it's been probably three (contenders).
"So it's interesting times."
