Big three await in World Cup draw

9:09am Monday 1st December 2008

ENGLAND will today learn their 2011 World Cup fate after being left on a probable collision course with one of the Tri-Nations heavyweights.

Manager Martin Johnson will not shed a tear if England are grouped with 2007 World Cup semi-finalists Argentina.

But it could also be one of New Zealand, South Africa or Australia, who all swept England aside at Twickenham during the past fortnight, amassing 102 points between them.

England dropped to sixth place in the International Rugby Board world rankings following their 32-6 loss to the All Blacks, while Wales moved one place above them following a thrilling 21-18 success against Australia.

Ireland and France join England and Wales in band two, with Scotland, Italy, Fiji and Tonga forming band three, completing the list of 12 pre-qualified teams.

The remaining two bands will comprise eight countries yet to qualify, but should eventually include sides like Samoa, Canada, Georgia and Japan.

One country from each band will form four groups of five.

Wales would have leapfrogged Argentina into fourth spot – and avoided any of the southern hemisphere super-powers – had they defeated Australia by 15 points or more.

They had their opportunities to achieve such an unlikely margin of victory with coach Warren Gatland pointing out they had conceded a soft try from a line-out and missed some kicks.

‘‘We did send the message on with two minutes left that we were eight points clear and that a converted try would give us a 15-point lead. But they scored a try and it went down to the wire.”