Boks and All Blacks won't throw their games

The Boks and All Blacks have dismissed any suggestion that they might deliberately lose a game at the Rugby World Cup to engineer an easier quarterfinal.

"Preposterous," said Springbok assistant coach Gary Gold.

"We'd get hung from the highest tree in New Zealand," said his All Blacks counterpart Steve Hansen.

The can of worms about throwing was opened up after Ireland's shock defeat of the Wallabies at the weekend. The outcome means Ireland are likely to top their group, forcing South Africa, likely winners of Pool D, to meet the Wallabies in the quarterfinals. The winner would then most likely face the All Blacks.

This would mean the other half of the draw would be opened to, frankly, the less dangerous European teams - Ireland, France and England.

Gold was yesterday aghast at the questions of throwing: "Not even a question of a doubt. It would be preposterous. Every World Cup winner has always won every game. We realise that. Under no circumstances would that even be considered."

Hansen said for the All Blacks to try to lose a test match was "just not in our psyche. New Zealanders expect the All Blacks to go out and play the best they can, whoever it is".

France appear to have done just the opposite in picking a weakened side to play the All Blacks on Saturday. They clearly have no appetite for winning their pool and later face the prospect of playing the Wallabies or the Springboks.

But the French selection has provoked an outcry from New Zealand's media, who called France's team an "insult" and a "farce". Rugby writers accused France of picking a weaker team because the losers of Saturday's game in Auckland are likely to face an easier route through the knockout stages.

The match is loaded with historical significance after France shocked the All Blacks in the quarterfinals four years ago, reviving memories of their famous 1999 semifinal when Les Bleus came storming from behind to win 43-31.

French coach Marc Lievremont named scrumhalf Morgan Parra at flyhalf, left usual No 8 Imanol Harinordoquy on the bench, while giving Dimitri Szarzewski his first start of the competition at hooker.

The French have denied suggestions they are sending out an under-strength team.

"I see no reason at all why the French team, even if we won our first two games, would give up on this match," said lock Pascal Pape.

Boks in sight of record

The Springboks have won their last nine World Cup matches and today could equal their record of 10, a run started in 1995, and ended by Australia in 1999. The Boks have lost only one World Cup pool match - against England 25-6 in 2003. In their one clash with Namibia they ran out 105-13 victors at Newlands four years ago.