Cape Town - Former Springbok coach Nick Mallett says the Springboks' draw at next year's Rugby World Cup is unfair.
The Springboks, ranked No 2 on the IRB rankings, face a potentially tough road to the final.
The Boks are grouped together with Samoa, Scotland, Japan and USA in Group B, and while they should emerge from that group unscathed, they are set to encounter tough opposition in the knockout games.
In the quarter-finals, the Boks could face either Australia, England or Wales - who are all in the same Group A. Should the Boks make it to the semi-finals, a clash against the No 1-ranked All Blacks is likely.
Mallett, in an interview with Netwerk24, expressed his dissatisfaction with the draw.
"It's ridiculous that we have to play against the second-best team in the group involving Australia, Wales and England. Why are three teams in the top six in the world in the same group? And one of them will be eliminated. It doesn't make sense," said Mallett.
"We have to play against the second best team from that group and I think it could be either England or Australia. And if we win, we have to play New Zealand in the semi-finals. That's also unfair because we are the second best team. We should actually meet them (All Blacks) in the final."
The 2015 Rugby World Cup in England and Wales runs from September 18-October 31.
The Springboks, ranked No 2 on the IRB rankings, face a potentially tough road to the final.
The Boks are grouped together with Samoa, Scotland, Japan and USA in Group B, and while they should emerge from that group unscathed, they are set to encounter tough opposition in the knockout games.
In the quarter-finals, the Boks could face either Australia, England or Wales - who are all in the same Group A. Should the Boks make it to the semi-finals, a clash against the No 1-ranked All Blacks is likely.
Mallett, in an interview with Netwerk24, expressed his dissatisfaction with the draw.
"It's ridiculous that we have to play against the second-best team in the group involving Australia, Wales and England. Why are three teams in the top six in the world in the same group? And one of them will be eliminated. It doesn't make sense," said Mallett.
"We have to play against the second best team from that group and I think it could be either England or Australia. And if we win, we have to play New Zealand in the semi-finals. That's also unfair because we are the second best team. We should actually meet them (All Blacks) in the final."
The 2015 Rugby World Cup in England and Wales runs from September 18-October 31.