Paul Grayson column: Out-of-date World Cup draw makes rugby a laughing stock

25 February 2023 , 08:12

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'Show me another sport that does it this way. Did Wimbledon make the draw for this year’s championships in 2020? Of course not' (Image: DAILY MIRROR)

If the most striking soundbite of the week was Wales captain Ken Owens calling Welsh rugby a "laughing stock” - what does that make World Rugby?

Of course, the immediate focus is on the civil war in the Welsh game and how close Wales came to boycotting today’s England clash. But look past the Six Nations to what should be the best World Cup yet, starting in 195 days.

For the first time ever the northern hemisphere boasts one and two in the rankings. South Africa are holders, New Zealand on the rise, England, Wales and Australia each have new coaching teams.

It should be the least predictable tournament we've known, yet with World Rugby insisting on the draw being made three years ago we finds ourselves with the sport’s top five nations together in the same half. A complete nonsense.

Hosts France and New Zealand are in Pool A with the winners to play the runners-up of B, which contains No.1-ranked Ireland, holders South Africa and Scotland.

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With runners-up of A meeting winners of B this means that only two of the world’s top five can make it beyond the quarter-finals.

Hosts France and New Zealand are drawn in same World Cup group while World No.1 Ireland are drawn with 5th ranked Scotland and World Cup holders South Africa (©INPHO/James Crombie)

(Brian Lawless - Pool/Getty Images)

Now this is good news for England and Wales, either of whom could book a semi-final spot without playing a team ranked higher than seventh in the rankings, but it does nothing for the sport’s credibility.

Show me another sport that does it this way. Did Wimbledon make the draw for this year’s championships in 2020? Of course not. Last year’s football World Cup? Nope, that was just seven months before kick-off in Qatar.

This cannot be allowed to happen again.

Paul Grayson's exclusive Mirror column is brought in association with CINCH

Given how far both fell in the autumn neither Wales nor England are looking beyond today’s game.

Disrupted preparation, bags of emotional energy expended, nine changes including dropping Dan Biggar - Wales have it all to do.

There is strength to be drawn from pulling together but they have made a terrible start to Warren Gatland’s second coming.

England are odds-on, which kind of makes sense. But their recent record in Cardiff is dire. Throw in home crowd advantage and, frankly, there is little to choose between them.

Paul Grayson