PARIS – The All Blacks were left to contemplate a tough pool fixture with hosts France at the 2023 Rugby World Cup on Tuesday, while England and Australia secured a “dream” ride — but champions South Africa were plunged into the tournament’s deadliest group.
New Zealand coach Ian Foster, under fire after a mixed first season in charge, admitted the three-time World Cup-winners faced a challenge from an increasingly impressive France and their home fans.
The All Blacks beat France in the 1987 and 2011 finals, but they famously went down to Les Bleus in the 1999 semis and 2007 quarters.
“You can just see that France are really building a team at the moment of great depth. You can see that all their planning is around 2023,” Foster said after Monday’s draw in…
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