Rassie says Boks underdogs for World Cup: 'France, Ireland and NZ currently the favourites'

The Springboks will head into this year's Rugby World Cup as underdogs, SA Rugby's director of rugby, Rassie Erasmus, has said.

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The Boks are the defending champions but currently ranked fourth in the world - behind New Zealand, France and Ireland.

In a wide-ranking interview with UK publication, Daily Mail, Erasmus was probed on the Boks' chances at the showpiece event in France.

"Would you not say we're going in as underdogs?" Erasmus asked. "With no emotions would you not say that France, Ireland and New Zealand are currently the favourites?"

On their year-end tour in 2022, the Springboks lost narrowly to Ireland (19-16) in Dublin and France in Marseille (30-26).

Erasmus did, however, acknowledge that those games gave them hope heading into 2023.

"Realistically, yes, we see ourselves as going in to defend it, and we get a lot of confirmation out of that match against France and Ireland in November. Before that, and this is not an excuse, we went a little bit cold into that match. But Ireland and France are No 1. 

"And we know New Zealand if they played them today it would definitely be one point this way or that way. We also believe if we play against those guys it'll be one point either way."

1. Ireland 91.82

2. France 90.47

3. New Zealand 88.98

4. South Africa 88.97

5. Scotland 82.77

6. England 82.12

7. Australia 81.80

8. Argentina 80.72

9. Wales 78.08

10. Japan 77.39

Other:

21. Namibia 61.60

31. Zimbabwe 52.43

33. Kenya 51.79

In the 2023 Test season, the Springboks will play two matches at home against Australia (Loftus Versfeld, 8 July) and Argentina (Ellis Park, 29 July) interspersed with away games against New Zealand