Rennie jokes about 'nil all' finish as All Blacks-Wallabies pool clash shapes RWC 2027 quarter-final path

All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has labelled the Rugby World Cup 2027 draw “crazy”, after it emerged that New Zealand and Australia’s pool clash in Sydney will almost certainly decide which team faces world number one South Africa in the quarter-finals.

When the prospect of both teams preferring to lose that fixture was raised at Thursday’s press conference, Rennie responded with a wry smile. “Yeah… nil all at full-time,” he joked, before turning more serious. “It just highlights a crazy draw. You look at the football World Cup and the top four ranked sides in the world play each other in the semis — 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.”

New Zealand are currently ranked second in the world, with South Africa sitting top following their 3-1 series victory in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry. That ranking dynamic means the two most powerful nations in the game are on a potential collision course a full round before the semi-finals.

Rennie was quick to add perspective, however. “To win a title you’ve got to beat them all anyway, but that’s the path in front of us.”

On whether victory in this week’s second Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney would give the All Blacks a psychological edge heading into the 2027 pool meeting, Rennie was dismissive. He pointed out that last week’s motivation — ending a three-game losing run, securing the Bledisloe, and protecting Eden Park’s unbeaten record stretching back to 1994 — was unique and could not simply be replicated.

“We haven’t really been talking about the World Cup,” Rennie said. “There was a lot of expectation last week and we used that. We wanted to add to the legacy. But as far as bragging rights for the World Cup, it’s so far away. I think by the time we get to play in pool play, it’ll just be about who’s the best on the day.”

Rennie also highlighted consistent team selection as a key driver of the All Blacks’ recent form, and stressed the importance of maintaining standards regardless of the reduced external pressure this week. “We’ve got to make sure we do justice to the jersey,” he said.