Punter pins hopes on All Blacks

Despite a recent defeat in the Tri-Nations to the Wallabies and a habit of peaking too early in World Cup year, New Zealand have attracted a £90,000 bet with Ladbrokes from one punter to win this year's tournament.

The anonymous punter staked £90,000 cash on the All Blacks at 4/9 before their 33-6 victory against a second string South Africa side in Christchurch last weekend. He stands to £40,000 if Richie McCaw's men lift the trophy in Paris on October 20th.

However the All Blacks have gone into the last two World Cups as strong favourites and twice failed to deliver on the big stage. In 1999 they were beaten by hosts South Africa in the final and in 2003 they lost to an Australia side in the semi-finals that they had comprehensively beaten a few months earlier.

Because of the large wager, Ladbrokes cut the All Blacks to 2/5 and drifted hosts France from 9/1 to 10/1. The bet follows a £150,000 punt on South Africa struck with a telephone customer last month. That customer may well be feeling confident after the Springboks management decided to leave their best 15 players t home for the away legs of the Tri-Nations tournament.

Ladbrokes spokesman Robin Hutchison said: "This is the biggest sports bet in our shops this year and probably the biggest ever rugby bet we've struck in the retail estate.

"The customer is either very confident or very brave - but as the odds suggest, we

expect the Kiwis to win."