All Blacks coach Scott Robertson opens up on nightmare RWC path

All Blacks boss Scott Robertson has given his verdict on the Rugby World Cup draw and the possibility of facing the Springboks in the quarter-finals.

New Zealand have potentially been handed a particularly tough route to glory with wins against South Africa and France most likely being needed if they are to reach the showpiece event.

That is the probable path if the All Blacks manage to overcome trans-Tasman rivals the Wallabies in their group game.

With the current top teams in the rankings â- and most successful sides ever at the World Cup â- potentially meeting in the last eight, it has certainly stirred debate.

World Rugby, who have expanded the tournament and changed the structure, have been criticised with two of the behemoths set to collide early on.

Robertson was asked following the draw how it is that the top two seeds have not been separated, like they would do in tennis, and he responded: "It's a good question, I can't answer it from a formatting point of view but that's what you sort of felt, you split the two sides of the pool and merge in the middle as you come through.

"But there was an inevitability of it the further we got down and when there was three balls down, you went, 'okay, you have to be next', otherwise you're playing South Africa," he told reporters.

"You're going to have to talk about that to someone at World Rugby."

Ironically, should the All Blacks succumb to the Wallabies then they will likely be placed on the easier side of the draw - albeit a match with England would probably lie in wait.

That has led some to suggest that New Zealand should perhaps 'raise the white flag' for that contest, but Robertson will not have that mentality.

"It's one of the anomalies the way this format's come along. Just with the sides of the draw and the way it shapes, sometimes it can fall that way, but you just want to play your best every Test, that's the mindset you've got to have," he said.

The head coach then quipped: "But there's definitely strategy in that."

Should the All Blacks end up facing the Springboks in the 2027 quarters then it will certainly be a daunting challenge.

South Africa are of course the back-to-back world champions and inflicted the biggest-ever defeat on New Zealand earlier this year.

Rassie Erasmus' men are currently the undisputed number one team in the world and building nicely for their attempt at the three-peat.

"You knew if Pool A and B got together, that was one of the scenarios that you look at. You do a little bit of homework and you look at it and you go, 'okay, we play South Africa a lot and it's just another time you get to have a crack at it'," Robertson added.

"When you come into a World Cup, you know you're going to have to face someone of their form to win it. If it's a quarter-final, that's the way it works out and that's just part of the draw. You've got to embrace it."

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