- All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie publicly questioned the structure of the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw after it was released
- New Zealand could face defending champions South Africa in the quarter-finals, with France potentially waiting in the semis
- Rennie made the remarks during his team announcement ahead of the second Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has voiced strong concern over the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw, describing it as "crazy" after it emerged that New Zealand could face defending champions South Africa as early as the quarter-finals.
Source: Getty Images
Rennie raised the issue during his team announcement ahead of the second Bledisloe Cup Test against the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday, 18 October 2026. He pointed out that the bracket could pit three of the world's top teams against each other before the semi-finals even begin.
A brutal path to the final
Should both sides advance as expected from their respective pools, the Springboks and All Blacks would meet in the last eight at the tournament in Australia. The winner would then likely face France in the semi-finals, creating what Rennie described as an extraordinarily demanding route to the Webb Ellis Cup.
Rennie drew a pointed comparison with football's showpiece event, noting that FIFA's World Cup structure typically ensures the top-ranked nations only converge at the final stages.
"Just highlights a crazy draw," Rennie told the media.
"You look at the Football World Cup and the top four ranked sides in the world play each other in the semis, and it seems hard to believe that you have got us pitted against South Africa potentially in a quarter-final, and the winner of that plays France. But, you know, I mean, it is what it is now. It was probably similar to the World Cup before, so to win a title, you have got to beat them all anyway. That's the path in front of us."
He also joked about the possibility of a scoreless draw with Australia in their pool fixture, a result that could ultimately determine which side faces the Springboks in the knockouts.
Eight Changes for Sydney Test
Rennie made eight changes to his starting XV for the Sydney clash, though he noted the selection process was more straightforward than usual. A couple of tight positional calls and injury considerations shaped the revised line-up.
The All Blacks retained the Bledisloe Cup last Saturday following a 52-19 victory over the Wallabies at Eden Park, and Rennie stressed the need to maintain standards despite the silverware already being secured.
Australia will field several inexperienced players in Sydney, a factor that may further favour the visitors heading into the fixture.
Source: Briefly News
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