Rugby World Cup: Pool draw made as England look to continue ‘winning habit’ while Ireland ‘buzzing’ for New Zealand clash
England captain Marlie Packer speaks after Women's Rugby World Cup draw.
England captain Marlie Packer is backing her side to tackle their tournament challenges head on as they look to win the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup on home soil.
Packer has been a vital part of the Red Roses enjoying a current 20-game winning streak and they went into Thursday’s night’s draw as top seeds, and rightly so.
England recently defeated Canada to retain their WXV 1 title, adding to a Six Nations Grand Slam earlier in the year, with all the sides now discovering their fate.
England drawn in Pool A
As top seeds in Pool A, England have been pitted alongside Australia and the United States, who were winners of the first ever World Cup in 1991, as well as Samoa.
Other home nations, Scotland and Wales, were both drawn in Pool B alongside an impressive Canada side – who are ranked second overall behind England – and Fiji.
Ireland face New Zealand again, having edged the defending world champions in their opening WXV 1 match in Vancouver last month, in Pool C with Japan and Spain.
In the other group, France are top seeds in Pool D, where they will face off with Italy, South Africa and tournament debutants Brazil, who should be a fascinating watch.
Should all of the seeded teams progress to the knockout stage as pool winners, then the English would not meet either the Black Ferns or Canada until the 2025 final.
The full schedule for the expanded 16-team tournament is to be released on October 22, with the games running across six weekends from August 22 to September 27.
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Looking ahead to their pool fixtures next year, Packer is expecting some stern tests as John Mitchell’s outfit look to continue their incredible 20-game winning streak.
“It (the pool draw) is going to pose us questions, but I think that is really good for us,” Packer said.
“We don’t want to get into the knockout stages and not having being posed questions and made sure that we are in the best possible spot come those knockout stages.
“Every team that plays us wants to beat us, because we do have that dominance.
“That is what has been so great about these WXVs, is that we have had the opportunity to play the best teams in the world regularly for the last couple of years.
“We got posed questions by all the teams we played in lots of different areas, and it is all positive for us, because winning is a habit and we are very good at it as the Red Roses.”
England will play their opening game of the Rugby World Cup in Sunderland before being hosted by Franklin’s Gardens in Northampton and Brighton’s Amex Stadium.
Other venues will be Sandy Park in Exeter, Salford and York, as well as Ashton Gate in Bristol, which will also host a quarter-final and both semi-finals ahead of the final at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
High hopes for tournament
Packer hopes a strong run in the tournament will inspire the nation.
“I think we could sell out the Allianz Stadium (for the final) – and what an incredible experience that would be, not only for the players that are playing in that game, but also the fans,” she said.
Ireland did not qualify for the last Rugby World Cup, but the recent victories over Australia in Belfast and then New Zealand have raised expectations.
“The group is quite familiar in terms of teams we have played in the last few years,” Ireland co-captain Sam Monaghan said following Thursday’s draw, which was live on the BBC’s The One Show.
“I am buzzing to play them (New Zealand) and I am sure they will be up for the rematch.”