NZ kids downbeat on All Blacks' hopes
More than half of 24 000 school children polled in an online survey believe the All Blacks will lose in the final of this year's Rugby World Cup.
The survey conducted by CensusAtSchool showed that 83 per cent of respondents believed the All Blacks would make the final but only 41 per cent thought they would win.
The pessimism of the students, aged 8 to 17, contrasts with the optimism of their parents. A survey in April showed 77 per cent of adults are confident New Zealand will win the Cup for the first time since 1987.
Rachel Cunliffe, a co-director of CensusAtSchool, said the results were "a bit of a surprise. We had expected that as children and young people are often such ardent rugby fans, they would be talking the All Blacks right up."