Wallabies strike gold in dream World Cup group
Rugby World Cup 2023 host France will face New Zealand in the pool phase, while reigning champion South Africa has been paired with Ireland and Scotland.
France and three-time winner New Zealand are joined in Pool A by Italy, plus qualifiers from the Americas and Africa regions.
Ireland and Scotland faced each other in the 2019 tournament in Japan and will lock horns again as rivals in Pool B, which also contains the current holders in the Springboks.
Pool C has a sense of familiarity to it, Wales, Australia and Fiji once again grouped together, as was also the case last year.
And in Pool D, England coach Eddie Jones will face his former team in Japan plus Argentina, who beat New Zealand for the first time in their history last month.
Twelve teams have so far qualified for the tournament, with eight more to be determined by November 2022.
Tournament organisers will announce fixtures and venues in February 2021.
Pool A: New Zealand, France, Italy, Americas qualifier, Africa qualifier
Pool B: South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Asia/Pacific qualifier, Europe qualifier
Pool C: Wales, Australia, Fiji, Europe qualifier, final qualifier winner
Pool D: England, Japan, Argentina, Oceania qualifier, Americas qualifier