World Rugby haven’t ‘learnt their lesson’ after 2023 World Cup abomination as All Blacks great fuels conspiracy theory

Colin Newboult
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The big Rugby World Cup quarter-finals from 2023 with All Blacks v Ireland and Springboks v France (inset).

The big Rugby World Cup quarter-finals from 2023 with All Blacks v Ireland and Springboks v France (inset).

Israel Dagg has been left frustrated by the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw which could see the All Blacks or Springboks exit the tournament early.

New Zealand and South Africa, who are the top two ranked teams in the sport, have been placed in Pools A and B respectively.

Due to the nature of the draw, which has six groups of four and an extra knockout round, the All Blacks and the Boks are seeded to meet each other in the quarter-finals.

Even if they get through that clash, it hardly opens up for Scott Robertson’s men with France looming in the semi-finals.

‘Boring’ 2023 semi-finals

“How’s it happened, though? One and two on the same side of the draw in a quarter-final. You look at the last Rugby World Cup, it was chocka in the quarters and I thought they might have learnt their lesson,” Dagg said on Sport Nation’s Scotty and Izzy show.

“You think to World Cup 2023 and it was boring in the semi-finals. No disrespect to the other sides but I just think that quarter-final, the build up, the games – New Zealand against Ireland, South Africa taking on France – and then you get to a semi-final and it’s New Zealand and Argentina.

“It’s a rivalry in itself but it just didn’t hit the same. There was an opportunity here to create and build the competition rather nicely and get to the semis and the finals with the best teams on offer.

“Maybe the extra teams have just created a few spanners in the works.”

Rugby World Cup draw: Winners and losers as All Blacks-Springboks collision course set while England ‘smitten’ with easy run

While the All Blacks would perhaps prefer an easier quarter-final, Dagg does think it could be beneficial facing the Springboks earlier in the tournament.

“Obviously, that’s the big talking point after this announcement, but my thinking is pretty obvious; if you’re going to win the World Cup, you’ve got to beat the best anyway and what an opportunity to get them early when people least expect it,” he said.

“You think you can get a team that’s still trying to find their groove. I’m trying to look for positives in this.”

Dagg’s conspiracy theory

The 2027 draw also pits trans-Tasman rivals, the All Blacks and Wallabies, against each other in the group stages.

“I’m not surprised they’ve (World Rugby) gone for New Zealand and Australia in the same pool, which is the first time ever in Rugby World Cup history,” Dagg added.

“You could say it’s random but is anything random?

“What an opportunity to open up a World Cup, plenty of Kiwis over there in Perth. You’ve always seen it at Optus Stadium, it always sells out, and they’ve had a lot of success over the All Blacks in Perth.

“But the big talking point is that quarter-final and it’s a part of the tournament where in the past it’s haunted us – 2007.

“We don’t want to bring that up but a Rugby World Cup quarter-final exit is not ideal.”

READ MORE: Rugby World Cup draw: Five takeaways as Ireland handed ‘best opportunity’ to end hoodoo amid another ‘lopsided’ tournament benefiting England

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    1. Comment by Jay Starr.

      I'm not one for conspiracy theories... But unfortunately it is a human tendency to conspire... And I do find it very strange that the draw - YET AGAIN - sends NZ and SA on a collision course with England in the clear. The odds of that happening again, with this new set-up, is too slim for me not to be suspicious. However, the format itself is already unfair - because some pools' winners are doomed to face each other in the QFs, while two pools's winners get to face runners-up at worst... so there is an inherent benefit to being in one pool and not another - and it is not a level playing field.

      • Comment by J.

        I genuinely think if this happeneed to say England, Ireland, Argentina or France the general discourse would be 'Oh thats unlucky' rather than the flat out conspiracy theories, I expected better from Kiwis to be honest.

        Also I hate how everyone trashes the last World Cup for the best games being in the Quarter Finals, I wonder would the quality have been as high had they been the Semis with another week of fatigue in the players? South Africa vs France and Ireland vs New Zealand were amongst the best rugby matches I've ever seen and I'm glad they happened.

        • Reply by J.

          Oh I do remember, my friends and I were on the edge of our seats thinking England were going to do it....until a certain Snyman had something to say about it and Pollards cold nerve took the game from us. Great game!

        • Reply by Tim Reynolds.

          There's no conspiracy theory here. It's not rocket science to place the top seed at the top of the draw and the second seed at the bottom; third seed at the top of the bottom half and fourth seed at the bottom of the top half. That way, if all games go according to seeding, then the top 4 teams meet in the semis. Grand slam tennis does this four times a year so it can be done. To have teams like England and Argentina in 2023 have a cake walk into the semis while teams like France and Ireland were eliminated in the quarters is an indictment on World Rugby, and there at it again.

      • Comment by Salomi.

        People are assuming too much, just taking recent performances into consideration. A week is a long time in rugby. And 22 months is an eternity... The future may surprise.

        • Comment by User 1785820820.

          Kiwis need to worry more about their performance than conspiracy. Their World ranking really flatters them. Struggled to beat France C-team in the summer, had mixed bag in the rugby championship and were unconvincing in Autumn internationals.

          • Comment by Eamonn Hennessy.

            There was me thinking conspiracy theories were just a South African thing, now they're spreading to New Zealand ! Of course that could just be a conspiracy theory. Now if New Zealanders start complaining when they win games ......

            • Reply by Dibs****.

              and we literally joked about conspiracies last time... anyway..

              If you things go expected tough QF v the Argies

            • Reply by Eamonn Hennessy.

              Tbh I’m not even thinking about the WC at this stage in terms of Ireland, the Irish team that lines out for the first game should be considerably different to the one that lined out against South Africa a few weeks ago so conjecture at this stage is pointless. Right now I’m more interested to see how Farrell evolves his selections and tactics over the next 2 years. Both areas require work if we harbour ambitions to do well.

          • Comment by Richard Richard.

            With Razor in charge, NZ is a dead cert to lose to SA. I wonder if Rassie drops a game to get into the easier side of the draw.

            • Comment by Quentin.

              If N-Z lose to Australia in game 1 and finish 2nd in pool, they move to the other side of the draw and won't face S-A before the final, if both make the final.

              • Comment by Skyscraper2015.

                Let's say Springboks beat ABs. Do we ever face off against Ireland? Or will England sort them out for us?

                • Reply by Declan McDonnell.

                  As an Irishman, I think England will be way ahead of Ireland in 22 months time. The England team has age on their side compared to Ireland, and plenty of exciting options to choose from the premiership. If Arundell can stay injury free he's unplayable at times, with Ollie Lawrence and Feyi-Waboso completing a very dangerous backline. Ireland on the other hand...I cannot see a number of previous stars even reaching the world cup given their age and recent form, (Lowe, Aki, Henshaw, maybe even gibson park.) Ringrose not the elusive threat he used to pose either. Honestly can't see any up and coming stars in the making either, and I tend to watch a lot of Irish rugby! New players need blooded yesterday. Farrell should write off the next 2 six nations tournaments to simply give some youngsters an opportunity while they have a chance, as it's been a crucial mistake with every world cup cycle.

              • Comment by Sonsie.

                The All Blacks looked far from convincing this autumn, getting beaten by a margin at Twickenham and lucky beyond belief not to lose to a profligate Scotland at Murrayfield. Israel Dagg really should wrap this pish, same as the other fellow. My post re Krige's comments apply equally here of course, but I haven't the strength cut and paste in response to such nonsense.

                • Reply by ABRugby.

                  Fortunately the quarterfinals is not being played this year. The All Blacks were written off pre last tournament, and if it wasn't for dodgy red card calls in the finals it would have been a different outcome.

                • Reply by Sonsie.

                  I know, it will all change and they will probably be back to their best again - good teams tend to peak at the right times..

              • Comment by Fairanalysis1.

                “Then you get to a semi-final and it’s New Zealand and Argentina.”

                More respect needs to shown, the South American side finished the year a better side than the famous All Blacks. The record between the two teams since the last World Cup is 2-2.

                The draw was clear, top 6 all had a chance of going anywhere in those pools and that’s how it ended up through the draw.

                • Reply by FeedTheBacks.

                  What? Post 2023 it’s SA 3-1 against the ABs.

                • Reply by PlatPoot.

                  He said the South American side, as in Argentina, he wasn't talking about the Boks.

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