The Springboks will face tough opposition in group B when they travel to France to defend their Rugby World Cup title in 2023.

For the first time, the Boks will meet Ireland at the showpiece event, and if you could label any one group the so-called ‘group of death’ it could be group B, as Scotland also features. This is the second time the Springboks have been drawn in a group with the Scots, both times Green and Gold triumphed.

Both Scotland and Ireland will have a lot to prove because their performance at the tournament is generally underwhelming. The two usually trip at the first knockout hurdle. Scotland is the only one of the two to make it past the quarter-final stage, that in 1991. Although they beat Western Samoa 28-6 to progress to the semi-finals, they ultimately got knocked out by England, losing 6-9.