Jake White has backed the Springboks to win the 2023 World Cup, but says even rank outsiders like England and Fiji will be a threat for the defending champions in France.
The world champions will go into the tournament as the second-ranked team as World Rugby’s rankings received a major shake-up after the final round of warm-ups last week.
Twickenham was the scene of not one but two momentous matches less than 24 hours apart as the All Blacks suffered the worst defeat in their history to the Boks, before Fiji stunned England. Also, World Cup hosts France in Paris handed Australia and Eddie Jones a fifth successive defeat this year. With defeat to Fiji, England have dropped to eighth in the rankings – the only time the Roses have been as low as this before was in the aftermath of the 2015 World Cup when they became the first host nation to be knocked out in the pool stage.
The record thrashing by the Boks of the All Blacks was an ideal way for the Webb Ellis Cup holders to serve notice of their intentions ahead of a title defence they start against Scotland in Marseille on 8 September, but writing for
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