September's Rugby World Cup will be the closest in history thanks to a stronger northern hemisphere, according to a group of top rugby brains speaking ahead of today's Laureus World Sports Awards in Shanghai, China. The state of the game discussion featured Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer, former All Blacks skipper Sean Fitzpatrick, legendary Argentina flyhalf Hugo Porta and former Springbok captain and 1995 team manager Morné du Plessis."I think it's going to be the toughest World Cup ever," said Meyer. "I think there isn't a lot to choose between the top sides, and any side can win it."Fitzpatrick said up to eight teams were capable of winning the World Cup. He believed northern hemisphere teams would be better prepared than ever before."The English guys are only going to get four weeks' rest before they go back into a World Cup camp, so they will be very well prepared," Fitzpatrick said.Meyer agreed that the southern hemisphere will be playing catch-up."It's going to be one of the more difficult World Cups . we only get the players late because of Super rugby. The northern hemisphere will have the Six Nations and then a break, when they'll see the players. So we're going to start late."But the standard of refereeing also came under the microscope - with both Meyer and Fitzpatrick calling for consistency. ..