France will pose huge challenge — Foster
RUGBY
AUCKLAND: The All Blacks have been drawn with host France for Rugby World Cup 2023.
The threetime World Cup winners will also play Italy and two yettobedetermined qualifiers, Americas 1 and Africa 1, probably the United States and Namibia, in pool A.
In other groups, pool B pits world champion South Africa against Six Nations sides Ireland and Scotland while Australia, Wales and Fiji will share the same group, just as they did at the 2019 World Cup.
The final group, pool D, has 2019 finalist England up against Japan and Argentina.
A New ZealandFrance game evokes so many memories — the 1987 and 2011 finals, won by the All Blacks; the dramatic 1999 semifinal and 2007 quarterfinal matches won by Les Tricolores.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster said playing the host team will be a ‘‘huge challenge’’.
‘‘You can just see that France are really building a team at the moment of great depth.
‘‘You can see that all their planning is around 2023.
‘‘We’ll be expecting a vibrant French team in a country that love their rugby. We know they'll have massive support behind them.
‘‘But that’s what makes World Cups so special, those sort of games.
‘‘And they’re games that we thrive on. That we look forward to. We know that if you’re not at your best, you’re going to struggle.’’
‘‘To play France in France at their World Cup is something we can look forward to greatly over the next two or three years,’’ Foster added.
Inside the Palais Brongniart in Paris, there were gasps when the two nations were paired again at the draw.
The exact match schedule will only be finalised in February, following consultation with French team officials, but France coach Fabien Galthie wants his team to meet New Zealand in the first game.
‘‘Why not?’’ Galthie asked. ‘‘They’re a beautiful team. ‘‘Everyone in rugby loves
New Zealand, the All Blacks. It would be so exciting.’’
The All Blacks and France have been grouped just once, at the 2011 tournament, when New Zealand was the host and both teams later met again in the final.
The Americas 1 winner will come from a playoff series between the 2021 Rugby Americas North champion and 2021 Sudamerica Rugby champion. Africa 1 will be the winner of the 2022 Rugby Africa Cup.
USA is the highestranked American side in the world and qualified as Americas 1 winner for the last World Cup.
Namibia has held the Africa 1 qualification spot since 1999 and was in the same pool as the All Blacks at last year's cup in Japan.
The tournament will feature 20 teams divided into four pools of five teams.
The knockout structure has yet to be revealed. — The New Zealand Herald