Regarding the early Rugby World Cup draw and plans for the next men’s tournament in 2027, World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont provided insights into the decision-making process.
He addressed the recent release of the World Rugby Rankings, which brought attention to the perceived absurdity of the Pool Draw for the upcoming Rugby World Cup 2023, determined three years in advance and seemingly biased.
The announcement of the pools for the 2023 competition on 14 December 2020, nearly three years ahead of the World Cup in France, led to widespread criticism, and Sir Bill Beaumont acknowledged that it has proven to be a mistake.
He explained, “The reason why the pool draws were made earlier was because of the surety of the host cities and knowing where teams were going, which is very important.” The need for certainty and stability in the planning process influenced the decision to conduct the draw early.
However, learning from the challenges posed by the early draw, Sir Bill Beaumont emphasized the intention to improve the process for future tournaments. He stated, “What we will be doing is looking to have the pool draw as late as possible so that you get more consistency around the balance in a pool.” The goal is to achieve a fairer distribution of teams within each pool, reducing potential disparities.
Sir Bill Beaumont also acknowledged the inevitability of one pool being tougher than the others, but the aim for the 2027 tournament in Australia is to assess the optimal timing for the pool draw to enhance competitiveness. He asserted, “When we go to Australia, we will be looking at how late we can make the pool draw.”
In summary, World Rugby recognizes the concerns raised by the early draw for the 2023 Rugby World Cup and is committed to implementing changes for future tournaments to ensure a more balanced and competitive playing field.”
As a result, the guys over at Eggchasers Rugby put together their own drawer the 2023 tournament based on the current World Rugby rankings.
Concentrating on only the top 10 countries in the world, it looks significant.
It was very different with England handed a much sterner test in their pool. Watch the full video here.
POOL A actual draw:
- France
- New Zealand
POOL A up to date draw
- France
- Australia