All Black legend Sean Fitzpatrick reckons Wales do not deserve their place in top eight because they lack any ambition.
The former New Zealand hooker, a member of the World Cup-winning New Zealand side of 1987, questioned the desire of Wales and Six Nations rivals Scotland.
Fitzpatrick slammed both countries for satisfying themselves with a place in the quarter-finals and reckons the South Sea islands have done more for the tournament that either Northern Hemisphere side.
“You just get the feeling with the likes of Wales and Scotland, that they are content to make the quarter-finals. That, to them, is a good result,” he blasted.
“But with all their resources, they should be aiming much higher than that. I’m certain that the island teams could do a better job in terms of performances if they had the same resources of their Six Nations rivals.”
Fitzpatrick will be cheering on the smaller nations this weekend in the hope of shaking up the quarter-finals.
“The best thing that could happen for world rugby is for Samoa to beat South Africa and Fiji to beat Scotland this weekend and make the quarter-finals,” he said.
Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick has urged further help to the smaller rugby nations and called for England’s 10,000 fine for fielding 16 players against Samoa to be donated to the small South Sea island.
He said: “Suddenly everyone realises that Samoa can play, not that anyone in New Zealand or the South Pacific would have doubted that. Nor should rugby’s governing body.
“After all, wasn’t it Samoa who turned out to be the surprise package of the 1991 World Cup? There’s been a lot of rugby played since then, but not a heck of a lot of help sent in Samoa’s direction.
“Certainly it was a cock-up by the English but I think there has been an over-reaction by both the media and the World Cup authorities. It was a trivial matter and the 10,000 fine is a joke.
“Where is the money going to go and what’s going to be done with it? The best thing they could do would be to pass it on to Samoa – that, and a bitmore.”
