Taika Waititi is "confident" the All Blacks will win the Rugby World Cup 2023, despite the New Zealand team's disappointing start to the tournament.
A record defeat to South Africa in their final warm up game followed by a first-ever tournament pool loss to hosts France means the three-time champions are under pressure to get to the quarter-finals.
The All Blacks' next game is against Namibia on Saturday morning.
However, Thor filmmaker Waititi said being under pressure is when the All Blacks are "at our best".
Speaking to CNN Sport, Waititi said: "I'm confident. I can't speak for anyone else, but I think this is sort of when we're at our best - and it's better for the game.
"It's also, you know, we don't want to be winning every single time. It just gets boring. You know, people will like have a go - it's like when you have kids, you've got to let them win sometimes.
"I think we have to win. We're gonna win."
Waititi also reminisced about the "special moment" of his first ever visit to a World Cup.
"The only World World Cup I've been to is the very first one in 1987 with my father and it was a very special moment. [I] also managed to see John Kirwan, the great John Kirwan run the entire length of the field against Italy to score a try."
Waititi also revealed he was "very nervous" about dropping the William Webb Ellis trophy, which he got to hold as part of his Tour de Rugby series.
"I was picturing dropping it because I'm notoriously clumsy. I mean, I break everything. I was very nervous about holding that thing. I think I held it for about seven seconds and gave it back."
Join Newshub at 7am Saturday for live updates of the All Blacks v Namibia World Cup pool clash.
