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The talking points from the 2023 Rugby World Cup draw

By PA
New Zealand will play hosts France in Pool A. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)

The 2023 Rugby World Cup pool draw has taken place, producing some intriguing pools and fixtures. Here, the PA news agency looks at the main talking points.

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England cannot complain

England have unquestionably landed the most straightforward of groups, with Japan, Argentina and qualifiers from Oceania and the Americas on their 2023 agenda. Japan were quarter-finalists when they hosted the World Cup last year, but are unlikely to have the forward power to threaten an England side coached by their former supremo Eddie Jones. But while the pool seems easy enough, England’s route through the knockout phase could feature, as in 2019, southern hemisphere heavyweights Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Wales fed up of Australia and Fiji

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RFU Chief Bill Sweeney, “impossible not to be moved” by concussion revelations

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RFU Chief Bill Sweeney, “impossible not to be moved” by concussion revelations

It is a case of same-again, yet again for Wales. For the third successive World Cup, they have been drawn in the same group as Australia and Fiji – and it is the fifth time in a row for them to face the Fijians. Wales, under Warren Gatland, beat both opponents in Japan last year, which meant topping the group and securing a quarter-final against France. England are likely to await them this time around, though, if Wayne Pivac’s team finish second in their pool. There is a lot of water to go under the bridge before 2023, but even this far out, Wales know what is coming.

Ireland or Scotland set for an early exit?

As in 2019, Six Nations rivals Ireland and Scotland will meet in the pool stage, and this time around, they have the added problem of also tackling world champions South Africa. Ireland won comfortably in Japan last year, but they had to settle for runners-up spot after losing to Japan, while Scotland bowed out as group stage casualties. Scotland have lost nine of their last 10 games against Ireland, and suffered six successive defeats at South Africa’s hands, while Ireland have toppled the Springboks six times in the last 10 encounters. Scotland, in theory, have it all to do.

France-New Zealand must be the tournament opener

The 2023 World Cup fixture schedule is not expected to be announced until late February, but one decision that tournament organisers should not spend long contemplating is which two countries kick things off. Hosts France, resurgent under head coach Fabien Galthie, have been drawn in the same group as three-time world champions New Zealand. That would provide a glittering spectacle, potentially under the floodlights at Stade de France, giving the competition a dream launch, especially if Les Bleus triumph.

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A lot can happen in three years

It is often difficult to predict the form of rugby union’s landscape in three months’ time, let alone three years, which is why not too much can be read into the 2023 World Cup line-up at this stage. Yes, the big guns – countries like England, South Africa and New Zealand – will still be exactly that, but will France have overtaken all of them by then and become the world’s top team? How many current coaches will still be in their jobs? How many current top players might have retired? How will the sport itself have evolved? Questions, questions.

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Jon 4 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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john 7 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

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Adrian 9 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

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Trevor 11 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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