The 2019 Rugby World Cup draw has been announced with Australia being drawn in Pool D alongside Wales, Georgia and two qualifiers.
Meanwhile, New Zealand and South Africa will meet in an epic Pool B contest.
The Pool B fixture is shaping as the best of the group stages, while Pool C appears to be the toughest with England being drawn along with France and Argentina.
The draw for the World Cup saw 12 automatic qualifiers split across three bands. One team was then taken from each to form the four pools for the World Cup. Those 12 nations were joined by eight qualifying positions, which are still yet to be determined.
Being split across two bands, all four pools took one team from each band to fill the five-team groups.
The group for Australia seems on the surface to be a relatively straightforward one, with qualification to the finals expected. Wales will provide a solid contest, but the Wallabies will go in as heavy favourites against Georgia and the Oceania team (likely to be Fiji), along with the Americas qualifier.
Pool C could be the proverbial ‘group of death’ and will see England take on France, Argentina and likely qualifiers in the shape of Canada and either Samoa or Tonga.
New Zealand will go into the tournament as heavy favourites to cruise through Pool B, but their contest against South Africa promises to be a quality one. Italy may be the unluckiest team out of the third band of teams, having to face two of the global powerhouses.
Ireland and Scotland headline Pool A and will play a derby match at some point during the pool phase, with Japan the other confirmed side in their group.
Japan upset South Africa at the 2015 World Cup in England and playing on home soil, with another couple of seasons playing in the Super Rugby competition under the belt, there is no reason to suspect they couldn’t upset either of the European sides.
A third European side will join that group out of the qualification tournaments as well as the playoff winner.
The full list of kick-off times, dates and venues will be announced at a later date, with the World Cup scheduled to commence on September 20, 2019 in Tokyo and the final to be played Yokohama Stadium in Kanagawa on Saturday, November 2.
Pool A
1. Ireland
2. Scotland
3. Japan
4. Europe 1
5. Playoff Winner
Pool B
1. New Zealand
2. South Africa
3. Italy
4. Africa 1
5. Repechage winner
Pool C
1. England
2. France
3. Argentina
4. Americas 1
5. Oceania 2
Pool D
1. Australia
2. Wales
3. Georgia
4. Oceania 1
5. Americas 2
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Agree CP which makes Will's stat even more inane.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Not really craigo, at least those players live in Australia unlike the League teams who just seem to collect any Australian with the right sounding name to play for them.
Johnny J-Dog
Guest
Like I said, rugby will NEVER have 9 different WC winners.
Johnny J-Dog
Guest
Not true. England were close to or favourites for 2003 and we were also close to or favourites for 1991 and 1999. In 1995 the AB mysteriously got sick on the eve of the final. 2007 the winners didn't beat the ABs. Like I said, we are all just hoping for an upset but otherwise the ABs will win it again. The gap between ABs and the rest is widening and that isn't good for WC rugby.
Marto
Guest
Wont happen JC . Cheikas in charge..He has to prove to everyone that picking a lot of Waratahs in the QANTAS WALLABIES will eventually beat other teams consistently......Hasn`t happened in 3 years, but he`ll still keep plugging away... . AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHH !!!
DOUBLES
Guest
Yes ^^ Bakkies gets it .It went over rebel Yells head ..... WOOOOOOSH !!!....
taylorman
Roar Guru
No it doesnt Zero, it illustrates my preference for a quality final. Is that not allowed in your world?
Zero Gain
Guest
Boring if NZ doesn't win and that would mean substandard rugby? You can't conceive of a team playing better rugby than NZ? That exposes your mindset and explains many of your posts.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Yes, boks could do the same. Italys win over them last year could end up hurting them. They cant do a Japan this time.
englishbob
Guest
when you put it like that it doesn't look as bad, so my mistake. The name you've missed off the 30+ category is Sexton who'll be 34 at the next RWC (31 now, birthday in July - I had to check). That for me would be more of a worry, he's got a lions tour, two six nations two domestic and European competitions plus autumn campaigns etc to get through. I know its a well worn path with J Sexton and I hope he's fit for the next RWC but he just puts far too much dirty work in for my humble liking. Ireland does have some able replacements off course, but sexton is not currently replaceable for Ireland
Homer Gain
Guest
I thought the Aussies had a stroll in the park against England. In hindsight you could have rested a few for that game and still whipped us.
Derm
Roar Guru
Not really an accurate assumption. Schmidt is building a team with 14 new caps since beginning of 2016. Ireland team v NZ McGrath, Best, Furlong, Toner, Ryan Stander, Murphy, Heaslip Murray, Sexton, Henshaw, Payne, Trimble, Kearney. Cronin, Healy, Bealham, Dillane, van Der Flier, Carbery, Marmion, Ringrose. Vs England O'Mahony, O'Brien Zebo, Earls, Scannell, J Ryan, Leavy, McGrath, Jackson, Conway, By RWC 2019. Best 36, D Ryan 35, Heaslip 35, Toner 32, SOB 32, Payne 33, Trimble 34, Kearney, 33. That's 8 players from a 43 player squad from the Six Nations. The June and November tests will probably bring through another 8-10 players such as Adam Byrne, O'Loughlin, Sweetnam, Porter, Stockdale, Molony, Ross Byrne, O'Donoghue, R Scannell, R O'Mahony. The target is 50 capped squad players for 2019 and 60 for 2023.
Jock Cornet
Guest
We need to blood new players this year
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Michael Ward! ~ To be honest mate I reckon you're bang on, the Welsh were hard done by in the last World Cup being beaten by the Aussies by Foley kicking all their points, and there was no doubt the Welsh played a damn good game and really played the rugby needed to win but your Boys had a horrible injury toll meaning you were up against it really, but I reckon you'll atone for that game this time round.
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Unless the Australian rugby scene gets a major shake up in the next couple of years, they are going to find it very tough indeed, ~ At this stage of any World Cup Campaign any Country should more or less know who they'll have available and well and truly organised in all aspects of what's required and a lot of things should already be in place, so let's hope they are!, ~ but Australia is in strife as we all know and to say the least it's going to be very hard for them indeed, as they're going to have to get up and running to the necessary state of play to be competitive very shortly. I certainly hope so!
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Jake! He's not known in this neck of the woods as ''Eddie the Mouth'' for nothing, but he'll likely tread on one lot of toes too many and may not even be there come WCup time!
Bakkies
Guest
He had support but not enough from the Tarts players
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Isn't there only 4 teams play in the League World Cup?
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Daveski! You must know something mate, fill us all in on your 4-5 possible winners not counting the faves'!
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Taylorman! ~ I reckon you're about right mate!