Former Wallabies enforcer Toutai Kefu has no doubts Australia possess the best backline in world rugby but it's winger James O'Connor, not Quade Cooper or Will Genia, he rates No.1.

Kefu, a stand-out in the 1999 World Cup triumph, on Wednesday declared the multi-skilled O'Connor the pick of the crop from a rising Test side oozing with exciting young talent.

An interested spectator at Wallabies training on the Gold Coast, the 60-Test back-rower and Tonga forwards coach marvelled at the 21-year-old's ability and expected him to only get better.

"I think James O'Connor is the best footballer in Australia at the moment and he's only 21," Kefu told AAP.

"He can do everything: kick, tackle, run and he's quick. He's absolutely got no fear.

"I just think he's a wonderful athlete."

Genia shaded the versatile O'Connor for man-of-the-match honours in the 39-20 Tri-Nations thumping of South Africa while halves partner Cooper also shone, setting up two of the Wallabies' five tries.

Along with fellow youngsters David Pocock, 23, and Kurtley Beale, 22, Kefu believes Australia have the handful of world 15 players needed to make a serious tilt at the World Cup.

He said the embarrassing 32-23 loss to Samoa to open the international season would be well forgotten by the time the quadrennial tournament kicks off in New Zealand on September 9.

"I think in hindsight that could be a blessing in disguise, it gives them a wake-up and they have a core group of players who I reckon could be challenging for the best in their position in the world," Kefu said.

"The halfback and five-eighth (Genia and Cooper) particularly, and I've thought if you have three or four of those in your team you're a very good side.

"They have some wonderful athletes and they're interchangeable as well; you can't just say (O'Connor's) a good winger or (Beale's) a good fullback - they're out and out great players."

But Kefu said it was all very well possessing the most exciting team on paper, and warned they needed to produce on the big Eden Park stage against the All Blacks on Saturday week.

Australia hasn't held the Bledisloe Cup since the rampaging No.8 scored a last-minute try to farewell John Eales in style in Sydney in 2002.

"Everything looks good but we have to get away from all the talk and start walking the walk," he said.

The Tongan-born Queenslander has been recruited by the Pacific Islanders for the World Cup and strongly believes they can take a leaf out of Fiji's 2007 Cup book by nabbing a quarter-final berth.

The Tongans are drawn in the All Blacks' pool along with France, Canada and Japan but feel they can cause a boilover.

"Canada and Japan, if we play well we should do away with them and France is our GF so we're targeting that," Kefu said.

"That's our last game and they would have just played the All Blacks.

"By then hopefully there's a bit of pressure on them and we're playing well with momentum.

"I think we're a really good chance."

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