2019 RUGBY WORLD CUP DRAW

HOW DOES IT WORK?

• There will be four pools of five teams drawn: A, B, C, D. • One team is drawn from each of the five bands (see below) for each pool. • Twelve teams directly qualified by virtue of their finish at the 2015 World Cup. Eight teams are not yet known. • The seedings and bands were based on the world rankings at the end of the Six Nations. Countries listed in order of seeding with method of qualification and best World Cup performance (number indicates world ranking)

BAND ONE 1 NEW ZEALAND:

Directly qualified as 2015 champions; Also champions 1987 and 2011

2 ENGLAND:

Directly qualified with thirdplace in Pool A in 2015; Champions 2003

3 AUSTRALIA:

Directly qualified as 2015 runners-up; Champions 1991 and 1989 Directly qualified as 2015 quarter-finalist; Quarter-finalist six times

4 IRELAND: SEEDS BAND TWO 5 SCOTLAND:

Directly qualified as 2015 quarter-finalist; Semi-finalist in 1991 Directly qualified as 2015 quarter-finalist; Runners-up in 1987, 1999 and 2011

6 FRANCE: 7 SOUTH AFRICA:

Directly qualified as 2015 semi-finalist; Champions 1995 and 2007

8 WALES:

Directly qualified as 2015 quarter-finalist; Semi-finalist in 1987 and 2011

BAND THREE 9 ARGENTINA:

Directly qualified as 2015 semi-finalist; Also semi-finalist in 2007 Directly qualified with thirdplace in Pool B in 2015; Pool Stage Directly qualified with third-place in Pool C in 2015; Pool Stage Directly qualified with thirdplace in Pool D in 2015; Pool Stage

10 JAPAN: 11 GEORGIA: 12 ITALY: BAND FOUR OCEANIA 1:

Highest ranked team from Pacific Nations Cup 2016 and 2017 (Fiji, Samoa or Tonga) Highest-ranked team, excluding Georgia, from the Rugby Europe Championship Winner of United States vs Canada play-off Second-highest ranked team from Pacific Nations Cup 2016 and 2017 (Fiji, Samoa or Tonga)

EUROPE 1: AMERICAS 1: OCEANIA 2: AFRICA 1:

Winner of the Rugby Africa Championship Loser of United States vs Canada playoff plays top-ranked South American team after Argentina

AMERICAS 2: BAND FIVE PLAY-OFF WINNER

Third-placed team from Oceania (Fiji, Samoa or Tonga) plays second highestranked team, excluding Georgia, from the Rugby Europe Championship.

REPECHAGE WINNER

Four teams from around the world who have lost out in other categories play in round-robin format

Reuters