Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus played down any unhappiness about the draw for the defence of their World Cup title in Australia in 2027, saying the only thing that mattered now is the Boks know the draw and now need to plan accordingly.
While there was some shock at the fact that the world’s top two teams currently on the rankings are scheduled to meet in the quarterfinals, the Bok coach wasn’t going to take the bait and rather looked to face the reality of the situation.
Erasmus said he believed you would have to face New Zealand at some stage, so it didn’t matter when, rather that you concentrate on getting things right to win the game.
“I guess if you had a team like New Zealand in your pool, if you had lesser ranked teams or teams on form, you would have preferred to have them in your pool. So you have another chance later on. But we've done it the other way around where we had them in our pool,” Erasmus told a media briefing in reaction to the World Cup draw.
PLAYING ALL BLACKS A LOT BEFORE RWC
“So it's difficult to say. On New Zealand, we’ve played them twice this season. Next year, we're going to play them four times before the World Cup.
So we would have been really used to each other. And then you still have three pool games to check how they play if you do get them. So I don't know, it's a benefit and a bad thing.
“But I can't say I'm disappointed or glad about that. I'm 100 per cent happy. I mean, we were told two years ago that this year is going to be the World Cup draw. And as far as I understood, there could have been a negative if we land outside the top six, I don't know, maybe for Argentina.
“Was it good for them to end where they ended? I'm not sure. We just tried on this table to end as high as we can in this specific year. A World Cup ranking is really not important for us.
“So when I watched it yesterday, I was thinking, OK, did it really benefit us? I think in our pool, maybe you take Georgia and Romania, but probably those games will give you a real physicality, Georgia and Romania. And then if you think about Italy, I've said it earlier this year, I think Italy will be three or four in my personal opinion, just because we played against them three times this year, and we're going to play against them at the end of year tour next year.
“So yeah, I can't be saying I'm unhappy about it. I mean, nobody can get the perfect draw that helps them. So playing those guys in the quarterfinals, semifinals, the only bad thing about a quarterfinal, if you lose there - I've been part of that - You know, you get out of that changing room and you split up and you don't see the boys again and you go home. And if you don't make it in the semifinal, you at least stay there and have a third and fourth place playoff. So I can't moan about it.
PLANNING MUST START
“Everybody will find a problem with anything. That's the draw and we have to go with it and start planning for it.”
Erasmus was asked if his side would have enough preparation before the knockouts and he sidestepped it, saying it was what it was and now the Boks need to deal with it.
“Yeah, I'm not sure how to answer that. I think one of the previous guys also asked me that, seeing that we're meeting better teams earlier. I think Italy is going to be tough. And then you play in the round of 16. I don't know, can it be Tonga? We'll see how things develop.
“And then you might hit New Zealand. If you don't win the tournament and you're out, you're anyway going to play them in the final if you're good enough. Because if it wasn't them, it could have been France.
“France is just as tough. If it wasn't them, it could have been Ireland. Ireland is just as tough. So yeah, I really can't moan about the whole draw. And I think it's much easier when there's a seeding in tennis. In rugby next year, you dropped six places.
“So it's too far out to determine what form the guys are going to be in the World Cup.”
The Boks will now wait to see where their base will be and then start planning accordingly.