England to face Japan and Argentina after 2023 Rugby World Cup draw

England could meet Wales in the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals after the two rivals were placed in the same half of the draw, with Eddie Jones’s side avoiding the toughest opposition on offer as hosts France were paired with New Zealand.

Jones’s side will still need to ensure they meet expectations by emerging from Pool D in one piece, with his former team Japan rewarded for their impressive run to the 2019 World Cup knockout stage by joining England in the group alongside resurgent Argentina, who were defeated by the 2003 world champions in the pool stage of last year’s tournament.

They will be joined by either Samoa or Tonga, and one of the United States, Canada or Uruguay.

With England very much expected to win their group, they would take on the second-placed side in Pool C, before a semi-final showdown against the winner of Pool A or runner-up in Pool B, which given the current world rankings would pit them against the All Blacks once again in a repeat of the stunning 2019 semi-final. The draw also opens up the potential for a repeat of their run in the knockout stage in facing the three southern hemisphere heavyweights back-to-back.

England captain Owen Farrell will hope to go one better in leading his team to World Cup glory, but there will be a familiar feeling for him in the pool stage after being on the receiving end of a high tackle that saw Argentine lock Tomas Lavanini sent off during England pool-stage win last year.

“Argentina are an unbelievably passionate team. Everybody knows that,” Farrell said after the draw. “The way that they performed over this Rugby Championship that's just gone on is obviously fantastic.

“But at the same time there's a long time to go before the World Cup and there's a lot of time for everybody to improve and make a run for it. Everybody is looking to build to make sure that when the World Cup starts they'll be at their best.”

The England skipper was under no illusions over the competition within the pool, although he did stress that there were few easy options looking across the draw.

“It's a great pool, it's a great pool to be a part of,” he added. “If you look across them all, they're all tough, tough pools. Obviously with the way that Japan and Argentina are going at the minute, some of the rugby that has been played over the last few years by them both, it's going to be a tough pool.”

Wales found themselves placed alongside familiar opposition as they were drawn in Pool C alongside Australia and Fiji for the third consecutive World Cup, meaning a fifth straight tournament in which they will come up against the Pacific Islanders. The trio all faced off in 2019 and joined England in the ‘Pool of Death’ in 2015, and with Wayne Pivac’s side struggling to just three wins from their 10 games in 2020, fans will be looking on nervously at two considerable opponents.

Should Wales progress to the knockout stage, they will meet one of the top two sides in England’s pool.

The other half of the draw sees hosts France grouped with the All Blacks and Italy in what will be a renewal of a famous World Cup rivalry. The three-time world champions New Zealand were famously knocked out of both the 1999 and 2007 World Cups by Les Bleus, but they have not met at the global gathering since the 2011 final when Steephan Donald famously kicked the All Blacks to victory.

The remaining group sees Ireland and Scotland join reigning champions South Africa in Pool B in what is a daunting draw for all three involved, although it will prove a tough ask for a Scottish side that failed to reach the knockout stage last year after coming unstuck to Japan.

Rugby World Cup 2023 draw

Pool A: New Zealand, France, Italy, Americas 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