All Blacks face France in 2023 Rugby World Cup pool stages
- Host nation will play the three-time winners in a mouthwatering pool game
- England drawn against Japan, who hosted the last World Cup in 2019
Host nation France will play three-time winners New Zealand in a mouthwatering 2023 Rugby World Cup pool game, after the draw was made in Paris on Monday.
The sides have met each other seven times in World Cups, including in the 1987 and 2011 finals with the All Blacks winning on both occasions.
England take on Japan, who hosted the last World Cup in 2019, and Argentina, who beat New Zealand for the first time in their history in November.
A qualifier each from Oceania and the Americas round out a competitive-looking pool D.
“It’s a great pool to be a part of,” England captain Owen Farrell said. “Obviously with the way that Japan and Argentina are going at the minute, some of the rugby that has been played over the last few years by them both, obviously it’s going to be a tough pool.”
World Cup holders South Africa will face Ireland as well as Scotland and an outfit from Asia/Pacific and a further European nation in pool B.
