Share

Coetzee: Boks v All Blacks RWC 2019 opener 'huge'

Cape Town - Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says their 2019 Rugby World Cup opener against the All Blacks will be a huge match in every sense.

READ: Full RWC 2019 match schedule

World Rugby announced the draw for the tournament in Tokyo on Thursday, with South Africa to face New Zealand in their opening Pool B match in Yokohama on Saturday, September 21, 2019.

“We play the number one side in the world at the moment and we are aware how good they are,” Coetzee said after Thursday's announcement.

The Bok mentor said their narrow 25-24 loss to the All Blacks at Newlands last month had given them confidence that they can match their arch-rivals.
 
“The Test match in Cape Town has given our players a lot of belief and if we keep on improving then it will make for an even more interesting match,” Coetzee said.
 
“We are really excited to meet them first up, there is a great and proud rivalry between the Springboks and All Blacks and judging by past encounters between the two sides, this opening group match is bound to be another massive contest.”

Following their huge opening encounter against their traditional rivals, the Springboks’ next group match is against the top qualifying team from Africa, on Saturday, September 28 at the City of Toyota Stadium in Aichi.
 
In their third group match, the Springboks play Italy on Friday, October 4 in the Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa in Shizuoka. Kick-off, as in the case of the first two matches, is set for 11:45 SA time.
 
The Springboks finish their group fixtures four days later in the Kobe Misaki Stadium against the still-to-be-determined repechage winner, with this match starting at 12:15 SA time.
 
Coetzee added his team has serious respect for Italy and the other two group contenders: “If you look at the November Tests in the northern hemisphere, you will see how competitive each of those Test matches are. We have a lot of respect for all the teams in our pool and it important to have prepared very well for each match.”

Rugby World Cup 2019 pools:

Pool A: Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Europe 1, Playoff winner

Pool B: New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Africa 1, Repechage winner

Pool C: England, France, Argentina, USA, Tonga

Pool D: Australia, Wales, Georgia, Fiji, Americas 2

The Springboks’ 2019 Rugby World Cup match schedule (SA times):

Saturday, September 21: South Africa v New Zealand, International Stadium - Yokohama (11:45)
Saturday, September 28: South Africa v Africa 1, City of Toyota Stadium - Aichi (11:45)
Friday, October 4: South Africa v Italy, Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa - Shizuoka (11:45)
Tuesday, October 8: South Africa v Repechage winner, Kobe Misaki Stadium - Kobe (12:15)

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE