As per the most recent World Rugby rankings, South Africa are down in fourth spot, however will not be that far forward of fifth-placed Scotland, a staff that appears more and more harmful. The Scots are in the identical pool because the Springboks for the 2023 World Cup, together with Ireland, who’re presently the No 1-ranked staff on the earth.
Keep in thoughts that the Springboks realistically can solely afford to lose one recreation of their World Cup pool section, and even then, it gained’t get any simpler within the quarter-finals.
The defending champions are anticipated to face both New Zealand or France within the quarter-finals. Both of these groups are presently forward of them within the rankings as properly.
WATCH: MALLETT GETS EMOTIONAL REFLECTING ON ICONIC KOLISI COMMENTARY
The draw for the 2023 World Cup was made in 2020 based mostly on seedings as they had been after the final World Cup, however a lot has modified since then.
With this in thoughts, World Rugby is ready to be sure that, in future, the pool draw can be held nearer to future Rugby World Cups, beginning with the following event in Australia in 2027.
According to The Mirror, this change is feasible “because of a new ‘hosting model’ that sees the international federation create collaborations with the host union”.
“The top of the men’s Test game has never been more competitive,” a spokesperson said. “There has never been so much movement over a two-year period. Bearing that in mind, and noting the format of four pools of five teams, there is arguably no perfect time for a draw.”
ALSO READ | ROAD TO THE RUGBY WORLD CUP: COULD SPRINGBOKS SQUAD LOOK LIKE THIS?
There at the moment are lower than 200 days to go till the Springboks kick off their Rugby World Cup title defence on Sunday, 10 September, in opposition to Scotland in Marseille. This can be adopted by pool matches in opposition to Romania in Bordeaux (17 September), Ireland in Paris (23 September) and Tonga in Marseille (1 October).
Although the Springboks have a beneficial general document of outcomes in opposition to Ireland, there is no such thing as a denying that the northern hemisphere foes have developed impressively during the last couple of years. The Irish are totally deserving of their rating on the high of the World Rugby standings, and are practically two full factors away from France because it stands.
Meanwhile, on their day, there is no such thing as a doubt that Scotland can beat any staff in world rugby.
MUST-WATCH: SPRINGBOKS IN SUPER INTENSE TRAINING DRILL
THE SPRINGBOKS WON’T HAVE AN EASY RIDE IN FRANCE
There isn’t any want to panic, however the Springboks can be rising more and more conscious of simply what an enormous job lies forward of them on the World Cup. Not to point out the very fact there can be an enormous goal on their backs because the defending champs.
REVEALED: WHEN THE SPRINGBOKS’ WORLD CUP SQUAD WILL BE NAMED
South Africa will kick off a bumper 2023 season in opposition to Australia in Pretoria on Saturday, 8 July, within the opening spherical of the shortened Castle Lager Rugby Championship, which can be adopted by clashes in opposition to New Zealand on the Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland every week later, and Argentina in Johannesburg on Saturday, 29 July, of their ultimate match on residence soil earlier than the build-up to their Rugby World Cup defence begins.
They will then journey to Buenos Aires in August to tackle the Pumas earlier than going through Wales and the All Blacks in Rugby World Cup warm-up matches in Cardiff and London within the ultimate build-up to the extravaganza in France.
OPINION: RASSIE ERASMUS CAN CEMENT HIS LEGACY IN 2023!
FIXTURES IN 2023
Rugby Championship:
✈ 8 July: Springboks vs Australia (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
✈ 15 July: Springboks vs New Zealand (Venue and time TBC)
✈ 29 July: Springboks vs Argentina (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
World Cup warm-ups:
✈ 5 August: Springboks vs Argentina (Vélez Stadium, Buenos Aires)
✈ 19 August: Springboks vs Wales (Millennium Stadium, Cardiff)
✈ 25 August: Springboks vs New Zealand (Twickenham Stadium, London)
Rugby World Cup:
✈ 10 September: South Africa vs Scotland (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)
✈ 17 September: South Africa vs Romania (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux)
✈ 23 September: South Africa vs Ireland (Stade de France, Saint-Denis, Paris)
✈ 1 October: South Africa vs Tonga (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)
ALSO READ | INSIDE ACCESS TO THE SPRINGBOKS LIKE NEVER BEFORE
Quarter-finals sequence of play is as follows:QF 1 — Winner Pool C vs Runner up Pool D
QF 2 — Winner Pool B vs Runner up Pool A
QF 3 — Winner Pool D vs Runner up Pool C
QF 4 — Winner Pool A vs Runner up Pool B
Semi-finals sequence of play is as follows:
SF 1 — Winner QF1 v Winner QF2
SF 2 — Winner QF3 v Winner QF4
Third place playoff:
Loser SF 1 vs Loser SF 2
World Cup ultimate:
Winner SF 1 vs Winner SF 2
Source link
