Tough draw for Boks
THE Springboks will face the All Blacks in Rugby World Cup pool play for the first time after the two southern hemisphere giants were drawn together in Pool B for Rugby World Cup 2019.
The draw‚ made in Kyoto yesterday‚ also pitted Italy in Pool B along with a qualifier from Africa‚ likely to be Namibia‚ and a global qualifier.
At first glance it seems a tough draw for the Boks‚ but in reality losing to the All Blacks in pool play would not dent their quarterfinal hopes.
Beating Italy would almost guarantee a place in the last eight regardless of the result against the reigning world champions and give South Africa a quarterfinal against either Ireland‚ Scotland or Japan from Pool A.
The Boks’ world ranking dropped from third at the beginning of last year to seventh in March this year‚ which meant that they fell into band two for the draw.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee attended the draw at the Kyoto State Guest House along with representatives from the other 11 qualified teams and said afterwards he was satisfied with the pool allocation.
“As I said before the draw was made – to us it doesn’t matter who we are drawn against‚ because to win the Rugby World Cup‚ you have to beat the best teams out there‚” he said.
“The pools consist of five teams each and history shows that you need to win at least three of your four pool matches to be sure of a place in the playoffs.
“We’ve been working hard since arriving back from the 2016 outgoing tour to ensure improved results from now on forward‚ with the Rugby World Cup on the distant horizon.
“If ever there was testimony that the gap between the top teams has closed‚ we saw that over the past few months in the northern hemisphere.
“With New Zealand established as the number one side‚ there is also very little to choose between the top sides in the world‚ while the next batch of teams continue to improve,” Coetzee said.
New Zealand and South Africa have met four times at the Rugby World Cup – most famously in the 1995 final at Ellis Park‚ which the Boks won 15-12.
They met again in 1999 in the bronze medal match with the Boks prevailing 22-18‚ but four years later the All Blacks eliminated the Boks at the quarterfinal stage with a 29-9 win.
In 2015, the sides battled in an epic semifinal with the All Blacks winning 20-18.
Pool C appears to be the “group of death” with Six Nations champions England drawn alongside old enemies France and 2015 semifinalists Argentina.
One of Samoa‚ Fiji or Tonga will also be the group‚ which could also feature the improving US. Pool A 1. Ireland 2. Scotland 3. Japan 4. Europe 1 5. Playoff winner Pool B 1. New Zealand 2. South Africa 3. Italy 4. Africa 1 5. Repechage winner Pool C 1. England 2. France 3. Argentina 4. Americas 1 5. Oceania 2 Pool D 1. Australia 2. Wales 3. Georgia 4. Oceania 1 5. Americas 2