Springboks and All Blacks on quarter-final collision course after 2027 World Cup draw

SYDNEY, Dec 3 : South Africa's bid for a third straight World Cup win and fifth in total looks set to run through a blockbuster quarter-final against second-ranked New Zealand after Wednesday's draw for the 24-team tournament.

The new format robbed the draw of much of its pool-stage jeopardy and there will be few big early clashes barring hosts Australia's taking on the All Blacks in the tournament opener - the first meeting between the neighbours in the pool stage.

The Springboks will face Italy, Georgia and Romania in Pool B, while three-times champions New Zealand will play Chile and debutants Hong Kong in addition to the Wallabies in Pool A.

If, as expected, they top those groups and beat lower-ranked teams from other pools in the new round of 16, the southern hemisphere giants will clash for a spot in the semi-finals in a rematch of the 2023 final.

Australia were offered a relatively smooth path to the business end of the tournament despite failing to get into the top six seeds after winning only five of 15 tests this year.

The format, changed for the first time since Australia last hosted the tournament in 2003, allows four third-placed teams from the six groups to progress to the round of 16.

That not only decreases the chance of Australia repeating their humiliating pool stage exit from the 2023 World Cup, but also means that if they finish second in the pool, they would play the second-placed finishers in Pool E in their first knockout match.

If the current rankings hold, that would mean a last 16 clash with Eddie Jones's Japan before a quarter-final against England.

In-form England, who won the World Cup last time it was held in Australia in 2003, were drawn in Pool F along with Wales, Tonga and Zimbabwe.

Ireland