Boks get the All Blacks

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 the 2019 tournament in Japan.

The draw, conducted in Kyoto, Japan, yesterday, also pitted Italy in Pool B with a qualifier from Africa, likely Namibia, and a global qualifier. At first glance it seems a tough draw for the Boks, but losing to the All Blacks in pool play would not necessarily dent their quarterfinal hopes.

Beating Italy would almost guarantee them a place in the last eight regardless of the result against the reigning world champions and give South Africa a quarterfinal against Ireland, Scotland or Japan from Pool A.

The Boks' world ranking dropped from third at the beginning of 2016 to seventh in March this year, which meant that they fell into band two for the draw.

"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," said Springbok coach Allister Coetzee.

He attended the draw at the Kyoto State Guest House with representatives of the other 11 qualified teams.

"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 play-offs.

"We will focus on our journey towards the Rugby World Cup 2019 and make sure that we are ready and well prepared."

Coetzee said the gap between the top teams had closed.

"We have seen that in the past few months in the northern hemisphere. New Zealand is established as the No1 side ut there is very little to choose between the other top sides in the world.

"And the next tier of teams is improving all the time."

The All Blacks have not lost a World Cup pool match to date and New Zealand coach Steve Hansen was unfazed by the draw.

"We don't control who we get. We are happy that we will be in a pool that will provide us with some challenges," Hansen said.

"South Africa are a team we know well, we played Italy recently. It's all about our preparation.

"We have to finish in the first two to qualify, and if we happen to qualify, we could play Japan and it would be a historic moment."

In Pool C, which has been dubbed this World Cup's "pool of death", England, France and Argentina are drawn against each other.

"No one's going to die," quipped England's highly successful Australian coach, Eddie Jones.

"We want to win the World Cup so the onus is on us to keep getting better so that we are as ready as we can be to do just that."

- TMG Digital-AFP-Reuters