GREAT ADVENTURE BEGINS
TITANIC CLASH: WORLD CHAMPION ALL BLACKS AWAIT RASSIE’S TROOPS
Rejuvenated Boks are being talked up by their opponents.
Could New Zealand’s stranglehold on the Rugby World Cup finally be broken?
The All Blacks will again go into the tournament as favourites, despite being knocked off their No 1 position in the world rankings by Ireland and Wales recently.
After winning the first tournament in 1987, as well as the last two in 2011 and 2015, the New Zealanders go in search of a record fourth crown at the showpiece starting in Japan today.
The Springboks, however, were counted among five other countries who are believed to hold realistic title hopes, along with England, Australia, Ireland and Wales, while Argentina and France have been given wild-card chances by many.
The Boks have never lost in a final, while the All Blacks lost the 1995 final, England went down in the 1991 and 2007 finals and the Wallabies were beaten in the 2003 and 2015 trophy deciders.
France, meanwhile, have a rich history at the tournament after making the final in 1987, 1999 and 2011, but have lost all three of those games.
Boasting a win-ratio of 83%, after winning 30 of their past 36 World Cup matches, the Boks’ record at the quadrennial tournament is second only to the mighty All Blacks, who secured victory in 88% of their previous matches.
In addition, further strengthening their chances on paper, the Boks had qualified for the knockout stages in all six of their appearances at the showpiece since making their debut in 1995.
Having lifted the title on their first attempt, they lost to Australia in the 1999 semifinals after the encounter went to extra time, in 2003 they were beaten in the quarterfinals by the All Blacks, and in 2007 they reclaimed the title after beating England in the final in Paris.
The last two tournaments had brought a mixed bag of results after the national side lost to the Wallabies in the quarterfinals in 2011 following a controversial one-man show by referee Bryce Lawrence, and they narrowly lost out in a 20-18 defeat to New Zealand in the semifinals four years ago.
Only four countries have managed to win the World Cup title since the tournament was launched in 1987, with New Zealand (three), Australia (two), South Africa (two) and England (once) having previously secured the coveted trophy.
In this weekend’s opening fixtures, hosts Japan are set to meet Russia, South Africa are gearing up to face New Zealand, Australia are preparing for a clash with Fiji and France are up against Argentina.