The coronavirus pandemic’s impact on international rugby and its calendar in 2020 means that teams were banded on where they stood in World Rugby’s official rankings in January 2020. Wales could prove major beneficiaries from the rankings that shaped the 2023 Rugby World Cup pool draw in Paris. “It enables key operational elements to be undertaken such as venue allocation, optimal match schedule development and the ticketing programme.” Wales the big winners from RWC23 rankings? World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “The draw is a key milestone on the journey to Rugby World Cup France 2023, and the time when the tournament truly comes to life for teams and players alike. The 2023 tournament will take place between 8 September and 21 October 2023. Oct 28: Final – Winner SF 1 vs Winner SF 2 – Stade de France, Saint-Denis.Oct 27: Bronze final – Loser SF 1 vs Loser SF 2 – Stade de France, Saint-Denis.Oct 21: Semi-final 2 – Winner QF 3 vs Winner QF 4 – Stade de France, Saint-Denis.Oct 20: Semi-final 1 – Winner QF 1 vs Winner QF 2 – Stade de France, Saint-Denis.Oct 15: Quarter-final 4 – Winner Pool A vs Runner-up Pool B – Stade de France, Saint-Denis.Oct 15: Quarter-final 3 – Winner Pool D vs Runner-up Pool C – Stade Velodrome, Marseille.Oct 14: Quarter-final 2 – Winner Pool B vs Runner-up Pool A – Stade de France, Saint-Denis.

Oct 14: Quarter-final 1 – Winner Pool C vs Runner-up Pool D – Stade Velodrome, Marseille.

Oct 8: Fiji vs Final Qualifier Winner (Pool C) – Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse.

Oct 8: Asia / Pacific 1 vs Europe 2 (Pool B) – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille.

Oct 8: Japan vs Argentina (Pool D) – Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes.

Oct 7: Ireland vs Scotland (Pool B) – Stade de France, Saint-Denis.

Oct 7: England vs Samoa (Pool D) – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille.

Oct 7: Wales vs Europe 1 (Pool C) – Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes.

Oct 6: France vs Italy (Pool A) – Parc OL, Lyon.

Oct 5: New Zealand vs Uruguay (Pool A) – Parc OL, Lyon.

Oct 1: South Africa vs Asia / Pacific 1 (Pool B) – Stade Velodrome, Marseille.

Oct 1: Australia vs Final Qualifier Winner (Pool C) – Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne.

Sep 30: Scotland vs Europe 2 (Pool B) – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille.

Sep 30: Fiji vs Europe 1 (Pool C) – Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux.

Sep 30: Argentina vs Americas 2 (Pool D) – Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes.

Sep 29: New Zealand vs Italy (Pool A) – Parc OL, Lyon.

Sep 28: Japan vs Samoa (Pool D) – Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse.

Sep 27: Uruguay vs Africa 1 (Pool A) – Parc OL, Lyon.

Sep 24: Wales vs Australia (Pool C) – Parc OL, Lyon.

Sep 24: Scotland vs Asia / Pacific 1 (Pool B) – Stade de Nice, Nice.

Sep 23: South Africa vs Ireland (Pool B) – Stade de France, Saint-Denis.

Sep 23: England vs Americas 2 (Pool D) – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille.

Sep 23: Europe 1 vs Final Qualifier Winner (Pool C) – Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse.

Sep 22: Argentina vs Samoa (Pool D) – Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne.

Sep 21: France vs Africa 1 (Pool A) – Stade Velodrome, Marseille.

Sep 20: Italy vs Uruguay (Pool A) – Stade de Nice, Nice.

Sep 17: England vs Japan (Pool D) – Stade de Nice, Nice.

Sep 17: Australia vs Fiji (Pool C) – Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne.

Sep 17: South Africa vs Europe 2 (Pool B) – Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux.

Sep 16: Ireland vs Asia / Pacific 1 (Pool B) – Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes.

Sep 16: Wales vs Final Qualifier Winner (Pool C) – Stade de Nice, Nice.

Sep 16: Samoa vs Americas 2 (Pool D) – Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux.Sep 15: New Zealand vs Africa 1 (Pool A) – Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse.Sep 14: France vs Uruguay (Pool A) – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille.Sep 10: Wales vs Fiji (Pool C) – Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux.Sep 10: South Africa vs Scotland (Pool B) – Stade Velodrome, Marseille.Sep 10: Japan vs Americans 2 (Pool D) – Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse.Sep 9: England vs Argentina (Pool D) – Stade Velodrome, Marseille.Sep 9: Australia vs Europe 1 (Pool C) – Stade de France, Saint-Denis.Sep 9: Ireland vs Europe 2 (Pool B) – Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux.Sep 9: Italy vs Africa 1 (Pool A) – Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne.Sep 8: France vs New Zealand (Pool A) – Stade de France, Saint-Denis.

… but there is of course a long, long way to go yet. … and the semi-finals like this, just as they were in 2019… If we suppose the top-ranked teams each win their pools and the second-ranked teams finish runners-up then the quarter-finals in 2023 could look something like this…

QF 1: Winner Pool C vs Runner up Pool DĪnother England vs New Zealand semi-final? England stare down the Haka during the Rugby World Cup semi-final (Photo: Getty).

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