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Great World Cup escape for Wales as World Rugby scrubs current 2023 draw rankings
Wayne Pivac’s Wales have been given every reason to be optimistic about the 2023 World Cup in France after World Rugby decided to use the rankings as of January 1, 2020, to determine the five bands of teams for this December’s draw, lifting the Welsh back into the top band ahead of current fourth-ranked Ireland.
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Wales had slipped down the rankings with Six Nations defeats to Ireland, France and England. However, with that tournament left incomplete by the outbreak of the pandemic which has also stopped Test action elsewhere in 2020, the game’s governing body decided in the interests of fairness that the rankings at the start of this year should be used for the draw in Paris on December 14.
Wales had dropped to sixth in the rankings under new boss Pivac, with Ireland rising to fourth and the French in fifth. The Scots had also made a move on the back on the Six Nations, climbing to eighth and pushing the Japanese into ninth spot.
However, Friday’s revelation means Wales will keep their No4 ranking and will be in the top band for the World Cup pool draw along with No1 South Africa, No2 New Zealand and No3 England. Ireland, Australia, France and Japan will be in band two, with Scotland paying a heavy price for their 2019 World Cup defeat to the Japanese as they will be in band three along with Argentina, Fiji and Italy.
Band four will consist of Oceania 1, Europe 1, Americas 1, Asia/Pacific 1, with band five containing Africa 1, Europe 2, Americas 2, Final Qualifier winner.
? Le tirage au sort de la Coupe du Monde de Rugby France 2023 se déroulera à Paris le 14 décembre 2020 au Palais Brongniart.
? The Rugby World Cup France 2023 pool draw will take place in Paris at Palais Brongniart on 14 December 2020.
? https://t.co/THbWbJIF94#RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/lu7kutNlmp
— Rugby World Cup France 2023 (@France2023) October 2, 2020
A World Rugby statement read: “Acknowledging the global Covid-19 impact on international rugby in 2020, with some teams not playing this year, and to be fair to all qualified teams, the Rugby World Cup board has decided that the World Rugby rankings as of January 1, 2020, will be used to determine the five bands. This represents the fairest scenario given it was the last time that all teams were able to play.”
World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont said: “The draw is a key milestone on the journey to Rugby World Cup France 2023 and the time when the tournament truly comes to life for teams and players alike, enabling key operational elements to be undertaken such as venue allocation, optimal match schedule development and, of course, the ticketing programme.
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“While Covid-19 means that, in the interests of fairness for all qualified teams, we have needed to draw a line under the rankings at the beginning of the year, everyone should appreciate that this is a unique time, we can’t delay, and we must continue to accelerate planning for what is going to be a truly spectacular and special Rugby World Cup 2023 in France.”
It's 5?? years since the winger's last caphttps://t.co/yVnhTKtStL
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 2, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
41 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
41 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
41 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
41 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
41 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
41 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
41 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments