All Blacks face pool B hoodoo

The All Blacks are in pool B - a pool that has never provided a World Cup winner. Photo / Brett Phibbs

England may have drawn the 'pool of death' but the All Blacks will feature in the unwanted Pool B for the 2019 World Cup, a section that has never produced a Rugby World Cup winner.

Last night's draw in Tokyo saw the All Blacks drawn alongside South Africa, Italy, Africa 1 (potentially Namibia) and a the Repecharge winner in Pool B.

The All Blacks already have history against them as they try and chase a World Cup three-peat in Japan. They will also be out of favour with numerologists with Pool B failing to produce a World Cup winner in the six previous tournaments where letters were used to name pools.

Pool A has provided the most World Cup winners with three, including the All Blacks in 2011 when two Pool A teams reached the final at Eden Park.

Springboks great Bryan Habana on facing the All Blacks

Ireland, Scotland and Japan will fight for quarter-final spots out of Pool A in 2019.

In 2015 the All Blacks came out of Pool C to win the tournament, the second Pool C side to win a World Cup following England in 2003.

When the All Blacks won the inaugural World Cup in 1987 they were in pool 3, the same pool of 1991 winners Australia before World Cup changed from letters to numbers to distinguish each pool.

2019 World Cup draw
Pool A: Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Europe 1, Play-off winner
Pool B: New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Africa 1, Repechage winner
Pool C: England, France, Argentina, Americas 1, Oceania 2
Pool D: Australia, Wales, Georgia, Oceania 1, Americas 2

Previous World Cup winners
2015 - All Blacks (pool C)
2011 - All Blacks (pool A)
2007 - South Africa (pool A)
2003 - England (pool C)
1999 - Australia (pool E)
1995 - South Africa (pool A)
1991 - Australia (pool 3)
1987 - New Zealand (pool 3)