The draw in December for the 2023 Rugby World Cup pools are to be based on the world rankings as they were on Jan. 1.
The pools for the 20-team field were originally to be drawn following the traditional autumn tours of Europe next month, but the COVID-19 pandemic tore apart those plans.
The leading teams are to try to complete the Six Nations this month and play the delayed Rugby Championship next month.
Photo: AFP
However, because there have not been any internationals since the middle of March, World Rugby on Friday said that it would seed the pools for the tournament in France based on the rankings at the end of last year.
“This represents the fairest scenario, given it was the last time that all teams were able to play,” the governing body said in a statement.
The top four of World Cup champions South Africa, New Zealand, England and Wales are to head the four pools of five teams each.
The rest of the bands are the other eight teams who automatically qualified by finishing in the top three in their pools at the 2019 World Cup in Japan, and eight qualifiers.
The draw in Paris on Dec. 14 is being done three years before the tournament so that French organizers can optimize ticket sales before tickets for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris go on sale.
World Rugby has already decided that the next draws will be done in the year before the World Cup to ensure the pools better reflect performance at the time.
Band 1: South Africa, New Zealand, England, Wales; Band 2: Ireland, Australia, France, Japan; Band 3: Scotland, Argentina, Fiji, Italy; Band 4: Oceania 1, Europe 1, Americas 1, Asia/Pacific 1; Band 5: Africa 1, Europe 2, Americas 2, World Repechage winner.
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