Murray Kinsella Reports from International Stadium Yokohama

THE LONG-TERM forecast for the World Cup quarter-finals has had Ireland meeting South Africa in Tokyo on 20 October.

That possibility is all the more likely after the Springboks lost 23-13 to New Zealand in their Pool B opener in Yokohama, leaving Rassie Erasmus’ men all but certain to advance from the group as runners-up, ensuring they are in line to face the winners of Pool A.

In most people’s eyes, tomorrow’s clash between Ireland and Scotland will be the key factor in deciding who tops Pool A, although hosts Japan and Samoa will have some ideas about upsetting that thinking.

Rassie Erasmus and Felix Jones before the Boks' defeat. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

However, if Ireland can overcome the Scots tomorrow, it leaves them in control of the group and on a collision course with the Boks.

With former Munster boss Erasmus, his former Munster defence coach Jacques Nienaber, his former Munster S&C specialist Aled Walters, and his former Munster backs and attack coach Felix Jones now all involved in the Boks set-up, a match-up with Ireland would have plenty of intrigue.

The fear for Ireland is that the Boks would have detailed knowledge of their set-up, their players and their coaching staff’s ideas, although Erasmus played that down after the defeat to the All Blacks.

“We’ve got an important game against Italy along the way, we’ve got Canada and Namibia also but Italy, in the last three years, we’ve had slippery games against them so I might mention them before we start talking about the quarter-finals,” said Erasmus.

“This result puts us under some pressure. We would have loved to win to have got some momentum going to the quarter-finals, but I tell you – Scotland, Ireland, Wales… there are so many teams that can currently do well on the day.

“Looking at Wales and England [in the World Cup warm-ups], on two consecutive weekends they smashed each other and even New Zealand and Australia, on two consecutive weekends the score went from 40 points one way to 40 points the other.

“So, to answer you, I wouldn’t prefer Ireland or Scotland. 

“Gregor is a great coach, Joe is a great coach. Obviously, we know the Irish players really well but obviously they know us as well so I’m not sure we’d have an advantage in that regard.”

Erasmus reckons Northern Hemisphere teams can challenge the Kiwis. Craig Mercer / INPHO Craig Mercer / INPHO / INPHO

The All Blacks’ impressive start to their back-to-back World Cup title defence underlines their status as favourites.

Every team that has won a World Cup has enjoyed victory in all of their fixtures along the way, meaning the All Blacks have made the perfect start to their bid for a three-peat.

While Erasmus sees Steve Hansen’s side as favourites, he suggested that there are other teams in this World Cup who are very capable of challenging them.

“I think people must remember that we are the number four-ranked team in the world, so I think at this stage we are not the benchmark to compare teams with,” said Erasmus.

“When you look at the likes of England, Ireland and Wales; I think New Zealand will have some stiff competition to get to the final still.

“There are teams who can handle their kicking game, specific things they do and might handle it a little better than we did on the day. We’ve played them now six times in the last two years, so we know each other well.

“They are definitely the favourites for the World Cup and they always have been, we’ve never had a doubt.

“I just feel that we’re creeping a little bit closer to challenging them, but they will have different challenges against teams like England, Ireland and Wales, who bring different threats to the party.

“We guarantee some things, but they handled our maul very well today, they handled our scrum well, our kicking game well.

“You play teams like Wales and England and there’s a totally different strength there. By all means, they’re the favourites but they will have different tactical challenges against the Northern Hemisphere teams.”