Like most NRL coaches, Brian McClennan has a board in his office with the names of players he believes will form the future of his team.

Each week after watching the NRL and Super League matches, he reviews the list and makes any adjustments he feels are necessary.

The birth last weekend of Brent Webb's first child meant McClennan temporarily removed the Leeds star's name and promoted the player he had in mind as the next Kiwis fullback, Krisnan Inu.

The 20-year-old rookie may be an unknown to many outside of Parramatta, but he has been in McClennan's plans for the last two years, as he prepares for the World Cup at the end of next season.

The Kiwis aim to win that title and are assembling a side now that McClennan believes has the best chance of toppling Australia in 18 months' time - a feat former Kangaroos coach Wayne Bennett predicts they are more than capable of accomplishing.

"We want to win this Test in Brisbane, but for each of the past two years our focus has been on winning the Tri-Nations final. This year there is no Tri-Nations, so the next final is at the World Cup," McClennan said.

With the retirement of Ruben Wiki (55 caps) and Nigel Vagana (38), and the unavailability of Stacey Jones (46), David Kidwell (24) and Webb (16), the Kiwis have lost 179 Tests worth of experience.

But whereas in the past they have had to use makeshift halfbacks if Jones was absent, Ben Roberts regularly feeds the scrums for the Bulldogs and next to him will be Benji Marshall, one of the game's leading five-eighths and players.

Sonny Bill Williams, Frank Pritchard and new captain Roy Asotasi are all genuine superstars and other young stars are emerging, like Newcastle hooker Terence Seu Seu and Roosters winger Shaun Kenny-Dowell.

"It is succession planning," McClennan said. "I review every game every weekend and look at the form of every Kiwi player in the NRL so that we know who is going through and when they might be ready for this level."

This methodical planning is why Bennett insists New Zealand will be favourites to win next year's World Cup.

"They'll be the team to beat in the 2008 World Cup," Bennett told the Herald.

"If they can get it right and all their players are available, they will be very hard to beat."

New Zealand lost last year's final 16-12 to Australia in golden-point extra-time, but hammered the Kangaroos 24-0 in the 2005 final at Elland Road when Bennett was coach. He resigned shortly after that defeat.

"They are closing the gap enormously. In the past, if you took out Jones and Wiki and Vagana, they would struggle. That isn't a problem as much any longer."

"They're all getting trained in the Australian comp. They're all in Australian clubs and part of the NRL. When you talk about players like Roy Asotasi, Benji Marshall and Sonny Bill Williams ... any club would want those guys in their books.

"And in their best form, those players would be pushing for selection in Australian teams."

Asked if he thought the Kiwis could win tonight, Bennett said: "They might struggle, but I couldn't write them off. After the last two Tri-Nations finals, they won't be worried about whether they can match it with Australia. They know they can."