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Skinstad: SA can tackle NZ with confidence at RWC

Cape Town  - Defeats suffered by the All Blacks this year will give the Springboks confidence that they can pose a threat at next year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan.

That is the view of former Springbok captain Bob Skinstad.

"I think order has been restored in such a way that we can really believe that we have a chance,” Skinstad told Netwerk24.

The Springboks stunned the rugby world when they beat the No-1 ranked All Blacks 36-34 in the Rugby Championship in Wellington this year.

Ireland, the No 2-ranked side, also beat New Zealand 16-9 in Dublin last month, while the Boks came agonisingly close to doing the double over the Kiwis in Pretoria when they squandered a 30-13 lead to lose 32-30.

"The All Blacks were very good for very long. I think they’ll use what happened these past few months to restructure themselves, start over and eradicate errors. We have to be careful, but it definitely means that it won’t be one-way traffic (at the World Cup). I’m very excited about that," Skinstad, who played 42 Tests for the Springboks between 1997 and 2007, added.

The Springboks and All Blacks have been grouped together in Pool B at next year’s World Cup alongside Italy, Namibia and Canada.

The South Africa-New Zealand match is an important match, as the loser and likely runner up in the group could then face Ireland in the quarter-finals.

Ireland head up Pool A alongside Scotland, Japan, Russia and Samoa.

The 2019 Rugby World Cup is scheduled for September 20-November 2.

ALSO READ: Stupid decisions have led to Super Rugby’s demise - Skinstad

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