Hansen happy with hard hits

All Blacks boss Steve Hansen has tipped his side’s 2019 Rugby World Cup pool clash with South Africa to be one of the matches of the tournament and inspire proceedings in Japan to new heights.

The defending world champions were drawn with the Springboks, Italy, an African qualifier and a Repechage winner in Pool B of the Cup on Wednesday night.

Hansen told reporters in Kyoto he was glad to have some genuine competition in his group, between the Springboks and a burly Italian outfit.

Unlike in 2015, when only Los Pumas provided New Zealand with any pool-stage competition, his troops would need to be focused from day dot.

Hansen predicted the Springboks would be a more dangerous outfit by 2019, having struggled in their attempts to impose racial quotas and remain competitive.

“We’re just happy we’re in a pool that’ll provide some challenges,” Hansen said.

“Any one of those top eight teams you pair with are going to be tough — in this case, we get South Africa, a team that knows us really well, we know them really well, [and] there’s a lot of history.

“It’ll be one of the games of the tournament and hopefully we both play really great rugby, and inspire the tournament to go to another level.” How the draw could work out: Quarter-final 1 Pool B winner (All Blacks) v Pool A runner-up (Scotland)

Quarter-final 2 Pool C winner (England) v Pool D runner-up (Wales)

Quarter-final 3 Pool D winner (Australia) v Pool C runner-up (France/Argentina)

Quarter-final 4 Pool A winner (Ireland) v Pool B runner-up (South Africa)

Semifinal 1 Winner of quarterfinal 1 v winner of quarter-final 2

Semifinal 2 Winner of quarterfinal 3 v winner of quarter-final 4