All Blacks, France in same pool for 2023 Rugby World Cup
PARIS (AP) — Three-time champion New Zealand will renew its storied Rugby World Cup rivalry with France after being drawn Monday into the same pool as the host nation for the 2023 tournament.
The two countries have met seven times in the World Cup, tied for the most-played matchup in the tournament’s history. Two of the All Blacks’ wins in finals have come over France, on home soil in 1987 and 2011.
Their eighth meeting could be the opening game of the 2023 World Cup, with the exact schedule only being decided early next year following conversations with the French team.
“Why not?” France coach Fabien Galthie said, when asked if he wanted to play New Zealand first. “They’re a beautiful team. Everyone in rugby loves New Zealand. It would be so exciting to play the All Blacks at home in the first match.”
Italy was also drawn alongside the All Blacks and the French into Pool A, one of four five-team groups.
Wales and Australia have also met seven times in the tournament and they were pitted together again in Pool C, along with Fiji, in what appeared the toughest group.
England, Japan and Argentina were placed in Pool D, while defending champion South Africa is with Ireland and Scotland in Pool B.
The remaining eight qualifiers — two for each pool — will be known by November 2022, a year before the tournament, following a regional qualification process. At least two will come each from the Americas and Europe, as well as one each from Oceania, Africa and the Asia-Pacific regions.
The seedings for the draw were based on the world rankings at the start of 2020 — instead of after the recent autumn tests, as originally intended — because some teams like South Africa and Japan haven’t played in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
France would have been among the top seeds on current form, with Galthie having rejuvenated Les Tricolores since taking over as coach after the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
“We have watched with admiration the way they are rebuilding the team,” All Black coach Ian Foster said. “They are building something special for 2023. For us to know the size of the challenge now has given us a clear focus and one we can’t wait for.”
The 10th edition of the World Cup will be the second to be hosted by France. It will be staged in nine cities and run from Sept. 8 to Oct. 21.
French President Emmanuel Macron attended the draw, which was held at the Palais Brongniart in Paris, and said his country promises to bring “French knowhow and savoir-faire” to the event.
Macron also paid tribute to Christophe Dominici, the former France winger who died last month at the age of 48.
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