2023 World Cup draw

[CiaranIrl]

World cup draw is in the morning. Am I the only one who had no idea?

As usual, the most interesting thing will be the teams we draw in the group, but the most important thing will be who we might play in the knockout stages. If there's a group with NZ & France or England & Australia, then having that group as your QF draw is a disaster, irrespective of what our own group looks like.

Pot 1: South Africa, New Zealand, England, Wales
Pot 2: Ireland, Australia, France, Japan
Pot 3: Scotland, Argentina, Fiji, Italy
Pot 4: Oceania 1, Europe 1, Americas 1, Asia Pacific 1
Pot 5: Africa 1, Europe 2, Americas 2, Final Qualifier winner

So anything from New Zealand & Argentina to Wales & Fiji.

[nc6000]

I knew the draw was on, not sure it's something to get too excited about. We're just over a year on since 2019 so still some way to go to 2023.

We could get a really tricky group and a potentially tricky QF too, we will know soon enough.

[cormac]

I'm going to predict we'll get beaten in the quarter-final.

[blockhead]

Wales and Italy would be nice.

[dropkick]

World cup draw is in the morning. Am I the only one who had no idea?

As usual, the most interesting thing will be the teams we draw in the group, but the most important thing will be who we might play in the knockout stages. If there's a group with NZ & France or England & Australia, then having that group as your QF draw is a disaster, irrespective of what our own group looks like.

Pot 1: South Africa, New Zealand, England, Wales
Pot 2: Ireland, Australia, France, Japan
Pot 3: Scotland, Argentina, Fiji, Italy
Pot 4: Oceania 1, Europe 1, Americas 1, Asia Pacific 1
Pot 5: Africa 1, Europe 2, Americas 2, Final Qualifier winner

So anything from New Zealand & Argentina to Wales & Fiji.

As the last world cup proved. Wouldn't mind being opposite a group of Wales, Japan and Italy.


But we're going to get Argentina.


Getting France is the worst possible draw imo with their home advantage.

[OTT]

I'm going to predict we'll get beaten in the quarter-final.

The coach (who ever that may be) got to conservative and Sexton (from where ever he may be at this time) yielded to much control and because of that everyone else was to afraid to win the game.

Report and internal review undertaken and it won’t happen again.

[Laighin Break]

Looks like it will be a quarter final exit again alright. To NZ/France this time

[RavenhillRaider]

Well that was as expected.

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

[FLIP]

I think probably the only truly happy team out of that draw would be England. A tough group yes, but if they get out of it they'd be confident to beat Australia or Wales.

[Oldschool]

Pool B - pool of death.
Q/F A v B, QFs of death.

[Flash Gordon]

I think probably the only truly happy team out of that draw would be England. A tough group yes, but if they get out of it they'd be confident to beat Australia or Wales.

I'd taker our group over that one. I really can't face another humiliation at the hands of Argentina.

[FLIP]

I think probably the only truly happy team out of that draw would be England. A tough group yes, but if they get out of it they'd be confident to beat Australia or Wales.

I'd taker our group over that one. I really can't face another humiliation at the hands of Argentina.

Yes, I agree, but England don't really have any fear of Argentina.

[Fireworks]

My choice for the order of play would be Scotland, Asia 1, South Africa, Europe 2. Tough game ish against Scotland then a rest before the big one and a rest before the quarters.

Thats my start to fretting about something that is 3 years away.

[Blue not red blood]

French wont be thrilled either with that draw

[FLIP]

French wont be thrilled either with that draw

Gasps of frustration in the attendees to the draw. But it means they can't meet them again until the final.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Pig of a draw, no doubt about it, but it will look an awful lot better or worse depending on the scheduling.

It doesn't matter if we finish first or second so if the draw enabled us to qualify before the last weekend then we could throw that game and just prep for the QF. The nightmare scenario is that we have to beat Scotland or SA in the last game and the organisers decided to open the tournament with France V NZ meaning that they had an easy time of it in the lead up to the QF.

When I first looked at the draw I thought it was perfect for England but Japan and Argentina are two teams who play at a really quick tempo and might not suit the England kicking game that's being used at the moment so it'll be interesting to see if they change their style a bit in preparation for 2023. It's still set up well for them though.

It''ll also be interesting to see what HIAs are like by 2023. With everything that's happening right now you could imagine a lot of players missing games and it might even lead to larger squads.

I'm very much of the mindset that we shouldn't focus on the World Cup as much as we have in recent years, but given the form of the team and the prospect of these tough games in 3 years time I think we should stop picking guys who haven't delivered and replace them with younger guys with more potential.

[riocard911]

33 years later and nine RWCs without Ireland winning a single k.o. match, I haven't the slightest inclination or desire to engage in any deliberations or speculations re whether it's better to come first or second in the group and who we might prefer to come up against in the QF. I see it like this: Take the group phase one game at a time and secure qualification. Having done that, beat whoever we meet in the QF with whatever team we have. End of!!!

[Dexter]

33 years later and nine RWCs without Ireland winning a single k.o. match, I haven't the slightest inclination or desire to engage in any deliberations or speculations re whether it's better to come first or second in the group and who we might prefer to come up against in the QF. I see it like this: Take the group phase one game at a time and secure qualification. Having done that, beat whoever we meet in the QF with whatever team we have. End of!!!

Completely agree. I'm refusing to even think about it or read , watch or listen to anything in the media on it over the next three years (nearly).
Safe to say, I'm totally fed up putting any emotional investment in the RWC.

[MylesNaGapoleen]

33 years later and nine RWCs without Ireland winning a single k.o. match, I haven't the slightest inclination or desire to engage in any deliberations or speculations re whether it's better to come first or second in the group and who we might prefer to come up against in the QF. I see it like this: Take the group phase one game at a time and secure qualification. Having done that, beat whoever we meet in the QF with whatever team we have. End of!!!

Completely agree. I'm refusing to even think about it or read , watch or listen to anything in the media on it over the next three years (nearly).
Safe to say, I'm totally fed up putting any emotional investment in the RWC.

agree with both of you.

my pet hate is the relentless references to "rebuilding for the WC"....STFU!....international rugby is about *always* fielding the best side of players from a given country to win a game. International squads should always be in flux regardless of what is happening in a few years. I include coaches in that....and as we found out with cheika in 2015 and rassie in 2019....both joined the international setup 1 year out from the WC. Both got to their respective finals with rassie winning.

[Logorrhea]

Meh.