County Championship April 22, 2013

The battle lines for the 2015 Rugby World Cup will be drawn in London on Monday with the confirmation of the pool draw. Join us from 2.00pm for discussion and coverage

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 1:11:12 PM
by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 1:20:03 PM
This #RWC draw could be very painful for Wales. Guaranteed a big side from Band 1 so no ideal draw there. Samoa/Arg from Band 2 maybe???

by tonylewis92 via twitter 12/3/2012 1:32:10 PM
#rugby Ahead of the 2015 World Cup draw, ESPNscrum looks at "Groups of Death" from previous World Cups http://es.pn/11FU92D

by rayrrobyn via twitter 12/3/2012 1:32:41 PM
Tate Modern will play host to the sport's biggest names who will be eager to see who they will be grouped with for the sport's showpiece event that is scheduled to take place in England between September 18 to October 31, 2015.

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 1:37:59 PM
Defending champions and top ranked side New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and France are the top seeds for the draw and will be kept apart in the pool stages. England, Ireland, Samoa and Argentina form the second group of seeds and will be drawn alongside one of the for sides ranked above them. And there's Wales ... out of the top eight and facing a tough draw.

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 1:38:43 PM
Incidentally, Six Nations betting from Bet365 has England 2-1 to win it outright, co favourites with France and Wales back at 7-2, not overly generous given the last month. Scotland 25-1. You could give double that and it wouldn’t be worth a punt.

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 2:10:17 PM
London mayor Boris Johnson poses with Lawrence Dallaglio ahead of this afternoon's Rugby World Cup draw

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 2:26:37 PM
England face France, Ireland and Wales every year in the RBS Six Nations, but they have never met in the pool stages of #RWC . #RWC2015Draw

by Rugby World Cup 2015 via twitter 12/3/2012 2:27:05 PM
1018 days to go to the Rugby World Cup #RWC

by Purple_Jesus_93 via twitter 12/3/2012 2:27:11 PM
The venue for the draw is the most iconic of rugby locations. Yes, it's at the Tate Modern in London. Graham Jenkins will be giving his opinion on the draw plus a rundown on 21st century British art shortly after the event winds up

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 2:45:38 PM
A reminder of who's where in the draw:-

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 2:46:25 PM
Band 1: New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, France
Band 2: England, Ireland, Samoa, Argentina
Band 3: Wales, Italy, Tonga, Scotland
Band 4: Oceania 1, Europe 1, Asia 1, Americas 1
Band 5: Africa 1, Europe 2, Americas 2, Repechage winner

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 2:46:32 PM
The shy and retiring Boris Johnson will be taking to the stage any minute. Fitting to have man who went to a minor public school where football is preferred to rugby to set the thing in motion

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 2:50:04 PM
Great and the good of rugby world set to gather in the bowels of Tate Modern for #RWC2015 draw p.twimg.com/A9MslXZCMAAUd7u.jpg

by ESPN Scrum.com via twitter 12/3/2012 2:50:42 PM
Don't be fooled by the picture. there are a few people there. Journalists will never miss out on free sandwiches

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 2:51:30 PM
Would they have invited the mayor had it been Ken Livingstone? Minutes to go ...

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 2:53:33 PM
MC Will Greenwood attempts to ease the nervous tension with a couple of jokes #RWC2015

by ESPN Scrum.com via twitter 12/3/2012 2:54:02 PM
2015 will be the second time England have hosted the competition, the last time being in 1991 when the hosts lost to Australia in the final.
Japan will host the tournament in 2019.

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 2:54:36 PM
Is Boris entering the stage on a zip-wire, or inside a massive sponge rugby ball?

by NotClive Woodward 12/3/2012 2:55:15 PM
Will Greenwood introduces the event wearing a tie he must have put on as bet.

by Martin Williamson edited by Will Luke 12/3/2012 2:55:32 PM
Polite applause for Bernard Lapasset, chairman of the RWC. And a more sensible tie as befits a Frenchman. Introductory speech being delivered

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 2:56:28 PM
Bernard says the "British are fantastic hosts who love a party". We like him more and more. Now to Andy Cosslett, chairman of the 2015 event, for some more pleasantries

by Martin Williamson edited by Will Luke 12/3/2012 2:58:33 PM
Here comes Boris. Cue self promotion and rehearsed ad libs

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:00:45 PM
Boris Johnson steals the #RWC2015 show and it's only just begun #Rugby #bringiton

by ESPN Scrum.com via twitter 12/3/2012 3:02:14 PM
Boris ... "4.2 billion people will watch around the world the greatest tournament of the oval ball ever held." Seriously? 4.2 billion?

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:02:39 PM
Is there a reason the draw is happening 3 years ahead of the event?

by Chris 12/3/2012 3:02:58 PM
Chris - it gives a long time to sell tickets ... whatever they say in this day and age commercial reasons are usually to the fore

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:03:38 PM
random video of rugby. Yes we do know what the rugby world cup is about #rwc2015

by athtrasna via twitter 12/3/2012 3:03:56 PM
If there will be 4.2 million people watching then that makes it more popular than the Olympics or the football World Cup. Surely some mistake, Boris?

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:05:06 PM
@patrick_kidd That's counting all viewing audiences from all the games, counting people multiple times for different games that they watch

by JoshPerks1 via twitter 12/3/2012 3:06:56 PM
I watched a rugby match on TV in Bangalore once (England v France in an Irish pub). Doubt many Indians were watching it. Or Chinese

by patrick_kidd via twitter 12/3/2012 3:07:00 PM
An explanation of how this works. In essence balls out of a plastic bowl

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:09:52 PM
First lots of draws are all from Band 5 where the qualifiers have yet to be confirmed so all a bit meaningless as a TV events

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:10:44 PM
Now it gets better

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:11:55 PM
Live video of the 2015 Rugby World Cup draw

by Will Luke 12/3/2012 3:12:14 PM
First balls pulled in the World Cup draw: all from band 5 where the qualifiers have yet to be confirmed #RWC2015

by ESPN Scrum.com via twitter 12/3/2012 3:12:26 PM
Band 3: Pool A - Wales; Pool B - Scotland; Pool C - Tonga ; Pool D - Italy

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:12:46 PM
Band 4: Pool A - Oceania 1; Pool B - Asia 1; Pool C - Europe 1; Pool D - Americas 1

by Martin Williamson edited by Will Luke 12/3/2012 3:13:05 PM
Band 2: Pool A - England; Pool B - Samoa Pool C - Argentina; Pool D - ireland

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:13:35 PM
England drawn in Pool A, Samoa in Pool B, Argentina Pool C and Ireland Pool D #RWC2015

by ESPN Scrum.com via twitter 12/3/2012 3:13:50 PM
So England and Wales together ... so now for NZ in Pool A? Surely not ...

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:13:53 PM
'Ooohhhs' all round as Wales and England are drawn together in Pool A #RWC2015

by ESPN Scrum.com via twitter 12/3/2012 3:14:07 PM
Pool A -Australia in with England and Wales!

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:14:18 PM
Pool B - South Africa

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:14:26 PM
Pool C - New Zealand

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:14:35 PM
Pool D - France

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:14:45 PM
Pool A: Australia, Pool B: South Africa, Pool C: New Zealand and Pool D: France #RWC2015

by ESPN Scrum.com via twitter 12/3/2012 3:14:58 PM
Australia, England, Wales together in Pool A, South Africa, Samoa and Scotland in pool,b, NZ, Argentina and Tonga in Pool C, and in France, Ireland and Italy in Pool D

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:15:51 PM
So, only three years to assesses and digest the draw.

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:16:23 PM
South Africa will love Pool B with Samoa and Scotland to face

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:16:41 PM
Australia, England and Wales could well be joined by Fiji, in so doing making it the Pool of Death. There always has to be ba Pool of Death even if only to keep the media and headline writers happy

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:17:26 PM
South Africa will love Pool B with Samoa and Scotland to face. Not bad for Scotland either

by ESPN Scrum.com via twitter 12/3/2012 3:18:38 PM
Stuart Lancaster speaks to Will Greenwood. And the first question is about last Saturday!

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:20:06 PM
NZ, Argentina and Tonga in Pool C, and in France, Ireland and Italy in Pool D

by ESPN Scrum.com via twitter 12/3/2012 3:20:59 PM
Lancaster remains calm but positive. As well he might. Three years is a long long time ... look what a difference a week has made in his life

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:22:28 PM
Stuart Lancaster: "It's a pretty tough pool but to win World Cups you need to win big games" #RWC2015

by ESPN Scrum.com via twitter 12/3/2012 3:24:08 PM
decent draw for #RWC2015 - be good to thrash the Welsh on the way to winning the cup at Twickers!

by James Bunday via twitter 12/3/2012 3:24:54 PM
Pool A: Australia, England, Wales, Oceania 1, Playoff winner.
Pool B: South Africa, Samoa, Scotland, Asia 1, Americas 2.
Pool C: New Zealand, Argentina, Tonga, Europe 1, Africa 1.
Pool D: France, Ireland, Italy, Americas 1, Europe 2.

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:25:26 PM
So that's it. An interesting draw and check out the site later for the lowdown on what the experts think.

by Martin Williamson 12/3/2012 3:30:11 PM

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County Championship April 22, 2013