SCOTLAND have been handed a tough draw against holders South Africa and Ireland in Pool A of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, which is to be staged in France.
Gregor Townsend‘s team – who were seeded in band three of the draw based on their world ranking on 1st January 2020, just under four years before the tournament is scheduled to kick-off – will also face the country which finishes top of the Asia/Pacific Qualification tournament, and the second top side from the European qualifying competition.
If Scotland do make it out of their pool, they will play either the top or second top team from Pool A, which consists of host nation France, three-times champions New Zealand, Italy, America Qualifier 1 and Africa Qualifier 1.
In the other half of the draw: Wales, Australia and Fiji have been drawn together in Pool C, just as they were in 2019; while England face Japan and Argentina (again) in Pool D
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Full RWC 2023 Draw:
Pool A: New Zealand, France, Italy, America 1, Africa 1
Pool B: South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Asia/Pacific 1, Europe 2
Pool C: Wales, Australia, Fiji, Europe 1, Final Qualifier Winner
Pool D: England, Japan, Argentina, Oceania 1, Americas 2
Quarter-Final 1 – Winner Pool C v Runner up Pool D
Quarter-Final 2 – Winner Pool B v Runner up Pool A
Quarter-Final 3 – Winner Pool D v Runner up Pool C
Quarter-Final 4 – Winner Pool A v Runner up Pool B
Yep. Crap draw and we are oot already. GT will get another big contract extension and Dodson an give himself another few million for a successful RWC. We – Glasgow- will get the fall guy water boy as coach. Thats the way it works down Edinburgh way.
Are schools out already?
Townsend goes for excuses already- this should be ringing alarm bells. Scotland’s group is really no different to other groups. We need to win our games by being: calm, Skillfull but ruthless, clever, not nice, hard, top of our game competitive and cynical. Pick a team to win for once. Fed up with the mad selections and daft referees who base 50:50 on perceived strength. Scotland need a Win first mentality. Win ugly. Everything else is frankly secondary including the coach.
Zero point in discussing anything other than damage limitation. We cannot adapt to play these teams, and that has been proven time and again. We can only get close, and then allow indiscipline and lack of rugby intelligence to enter our game.
We have not had a decent run at the WRC since 1991, and that speaks volumes of where we are. Nearly 30 years of mediocrity. We should have capitalised on that momentum, instead the stuffed shorts in the SRU decided to engage in wasting the resources of the union in that time and cutting off the grassroots clubs at the knees.
Should play the reserves v SA if fronting up is a concern.
Whew – buckle up!
Ah brilliant, Scotland get South Africa and Ireland.
So battered by the South African pack then just for good measure also battered by the Irish pack, groundhog day. At least we know the World Cup is a busted flush already in 2020!
Can someone explain why the draw has to be made now,little more than a year after the last WC? Surely makes sense to hold the draw once all teams have qualified? Why do WRC draws take place so far in advance when similar events have their draw 7 months before the tournament like in football. Utter joke.