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Dream Team Australia confident of retaining World Cup
SYDNEY (Reuters) -- Australian Rugby League chief executive Geoff Carr compared his national side to basketball's Dream Team on Monday ahead of Saturday's World Cup opener against England at Twickenham. Australia, the defending champion, left for England on Sunday. In April it thrashed one of its main rivals New Zealand 52-0. "It's pretty straightforward in that this team wants to beat other teams by as much as they can," Carr told Reuters before flying out from Sydney on Monday. "Freddie (captain Brad Fittler) reckons this team is ruthless. There's not a weak link anywhere. "This mob is capable of beating anyone by 50, like the USA Dream Team at the 1992 Olympics." Bookmakers have listed Australia at 7-1 ON to win the World Cup final on November 23. Carr said the next best six teams appeared to be at a level below Australia's. "We're a bit like the Dream Team and catch us if you can," Carr said. "The indications are that they will dominate. The players are very confident but they haven't played a game yet. "In 1990 and 1994 we lost the first test of the Ashes series and in the World Cup of 1995 we lost our first game to England. "England have a record of upsetting us in the first game of a tour on English soil. "History tells us we have to be really careful." The Australian team last week threatened to boycott the World Cup because of a dispute over how outstanding contracts at Australian National Rugby League (NRL) club Auckland were being handled after a takeover at the club. The Australian players, who had claimed the situation might set a dangerous precedent, dropped the threat on Friday after a meeting with NRL, Auckland and players' representatives.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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