Boks handed favourable pool, brutal knockout path awaits

THE Springboks have what amounts to a series of training runs in their 2027 World Cup Pool B matches against Italy, Georgia and Romania, but matters get deadly serious from the quarterfinals onward.

- MIKE GREENAWAY

As the highly likely winner of Pool B, the Boks are destined to play the winner of Pool A — either New Zealand or Australia — in the quarterfinals, provided they negotiate their way through the new Round of 16 that follows the pool games. This should not be a problem for the top teams because they will play relative minnows in the Round of 16.

On current form, it would seem the Boks are on course to play the All Blacks, the opponents they beat in the 2023 final, but a lot can happen over the 667 days to the opening match of the World Cup, on October 1, 2027, between, ironically, the Wallabies and the All Blacks.

The Wallabies fell off a cliff on their recent November tour, but in the Rugby Championship they showed rich potential and, famously, beat the Boks at Ellis Park.

The Boks have faced all three their pool opponents in World Cups before — Romania in 1995 and 2023, Georgia in 2003, and Italy in 2019.