Rugby-Draw for the 2023 Rugby World Cup

These 12 teams are: South Africa, New Zealand, England, Wales, Ireland, France, Australia, Japan, Scotland, Argentina, Fiji and Italy. These teams are seeded based on the men's ranking as of Jan. 1, 2020 and placed into the first three bands. Eight teams will come through the regional qualification process and are allocated into bands four and five.

The 2023 Rugby World Cup will be contested by 20 teams, 12 of which have qualified by finishing in the top three places of their 2019 pool. These 12 teams are: South Africa, New Zealand, England, Wales, Ireland, France, Australia, Japan, Scotland, Argentina, Fiji and Italy. These teams are seeded based on the men's ranking as of Jan. 1, 2020 and placed into the first three bands.

Eight teams will come through the regional qualification process and are allocated into bands four and five. Band 4 - Oceania 1, Americas 1, Europe 1, Asia/Pacific 1

Band 5 - Africa 1, Europe 2, Americas 2, Final Qualifier Winner Following is the pool stage draw for the 2023 tournament:

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 (Compiled by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)