All Blacks coach Dave Rennie is unhappy with the Rugby World Cup draw. He says it is hard to believe the two best teams in the world could meet so early. For South African rugby fans, the message is clear. The road to defending the title will not be easy.
What Rennie said about the draw
Rennie spoke to the media on Thursday, ahead of the second Bledisloe Cup Test against Australia. When the talk turned to next year’s World Cup, he did not hold back. He called the draw crazy.
The reason is simple. The Springboks and the All Blacks are the top two ranked teams. Under the current set up, they are likely to meet in the quarter final. The winner would then face France.
Rennie pointed to football as a comparison. At the most recent football World Cup, he said, the four best ranked sides in the world only met each other in the semi finals. In his view, rugby should follow the same idea. He found it odd that the draw puts New Zealand and South Africa against each other so early, with France waiting for the winner.
He also showed some humour. Rennie joked that the Bledisloe Cup meeting in Sydney will be nil all at full time when the sides return there for the World Cup. It was his light way of saying that this week’s Test will not decide much about next year.
He then accepted the situation. “It is what it is,” he said in essence. His point was that every team must beat the best sides if it wants to lift the trophy. For him, the path to the title goes through everyone, so the draw changes little.
A familiar complaint
This is not the first time a World Cup draw has caused debate. In 2023, most of the top ranked teams ended up in Pools A and B. That meant the Springboks had to play France in the quarter finals, while New Zealand faced Ireland.
Many fans felt that was unfair. Two of those four teams had to go home early, even though they were among the best in the world.
This time, World Rugby moved the draw to a later date. Many supporters hoped this would fix the problem. It has not. The Springboks and All Blacks are still on course to meet in the last eight.
The governing body also expanded the tournament for 2027 and changed the format. Those changes were meant to improve the competition. Instead, they have created a new argument. You can read more about how the competition is run on the official World Rugby website.
Why South Africans should care
South Africa are the back to back world champions. That makes them the team everybody wants to beat. A quarter final against the All Blacks is a tough way to start the knockout rounds.
Then there is the next step. If the Springboks get past New Zealand, they would likely meet France in the semi final. That is a very hard route to a third title in a row.
Still, many fans will say champions should not fear anyone. The Springboks have built their reputation on beating top sides in big games. A tough draw may even suit a team that thrives under pressure.
For supporters, it also means a blockbuster match early in the knockout stage. It could feel like a final, played before the semis. That is great for the neutral fan, but painful for the team that loses. You can follow the national side on the official Springboks website.
Why this match means so much
The Springboks and All Blacks have one of the greatest rivalries in world rugby. Every meeting draws huge attention in South Africa and New Zealand. When it happens at a World Cup, the stakes are even higher.
A quarter final would pit the top two ranked teams against each other with a place in the last four on the line. It is the kind of game that people talk about for years. It is also easy to see why Rennie finds it strange. Most fans would rather see this match as a final or semi final.
No talk of “bragging rights” yet
Interestingly, Rennie said the World Cup has not been a big topic inside the All Blacks camp. His focus is on the 2026 Bledisloe Cup and on building a strong base for the year ahead.
He only became head coach in March. That was after Scott Robertson was sacked. So Rennie has had a short time to shape the group.
He spoke about last week’s performance. The team came into that game after three losses. Playing at home helped, and there was a lot of pressure. The All Blacks had not lost at Eden Park since 1994. They had also held the Bledisloe Cup for around two decades.
Rennie said the squad used that pressure rather than hiding from it. They wanted to protect the Bledisloe Cup and the Eden Park record. Now, he says, the aim is to do justice to the jersey. A lot of work has gone into getting the mindset right.
When asked about World Cup bragging rights, he downplayed the idea. The tournament is still far away. By the time pool matches arrive, he believes it will come down to who is the best team on the day.
What happens next
For now, both teams have other work to do. The All Blacks meet Australia in Sydney on Saturday in the second Bledisloe Cup Test. It is played at the same ground that will host a World Cup match next year. Many people see it as a useful preview.
The Springboks will keep their own plans in place. Whatever the draw looks like, they cannot choose their opponents. They can only get ready for them.
Here is a simple summary of the key points:
| Topic | Key detail |
|---|---|
| Main complaint | Top two ranked teams likely to meet in the quarter final |
| Likely clash | Springboks v All Blacks |
| Next opponent for the winner | France |
| Rennie’s view | Draw is “crazy”, but you must beat everyone anyway |
| 2023 comparison | Springboks faced France, All Blacks faced Ireland in the last eight |
The bigger picture
The debate shows how competitive world rugby has become. The gap between the top teams is small. When a draw puts several of them in one half, someone good will go home early.
Fans in South Africa may hope that World Rugby learns from this in future. A fair draw should reward the best teams, not punish them. That is not always easy to achieve, especially with a bigger tournament. But the same complaint keeps coming up every four years.
For now, the Springboks and All Blacks must deal with what they have been given. As Rennie said, winning a title means beating everybody. That is the simple truth of knockout rugby. If the Springboks want a third straight crown, they will have to beat the All Blacks first, and that will not be easy.
The Rugby World Cup draw is set, and the argument is not going away. But once the first whistle blows next year, the talking will stop. The best team on the day will win, just as Rennie said.
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