by Defending Women’s Rugby World Cup champions New Zealand will face Ireland next year, which takes place in England, after being drawn in the same pool.
England’s group opponents include Australia, while Wales and Scotland are drawn together.
Ireland, who failed to qualify for the last World Cup, have the best win percentage against New Zealand of any team in the world. The two teams have only played each other three times, but Ireland have come out on top twice, most recently in the WXV 1 game last month. Ireland also defeated New Zealand in the group stage of the 2014 World Cup.
New Zealand defender Ruahei Demant said: “I think it’s exciting, why would you want to have an easy pool at a World Cup?” Why would you want to have an easy pool at a World Cup? I also think it’s a good chance for us to make amends. Sometimes we play against teams and don’t get the result we want and then we play a whole year and maybe can’t play against them again. So knowing we have the chance to play them again in a group game, I know it will be an exciting week for the 23 players named in the matchday squad.”
New Zealand and Ireland were drawn into Pool C along with Spain and Japan. Spain is taking part in a World Cup for the first time since 2017. The draw was conducted by 2014 World Champion Maggie Alphonsi along with BBC presenters Gabby Logan and Roman Kemp.
Quick guide
Full length World Cup draw
Show
Pool A
England, Australia, USA, Samoa
Pool B
Canada, Scotland, Wales, Fiji
Pool C
New Zealand, Ireland, Japan, Spain
Pool D
France, Italy, South Africa, Brazil
Otherwise, hosts, the Red Roses, are in Pool A with Australia, Samoa and the USA. The Wallaroos will pose a major challenge for England, who have never been ahead at a World Cup. Samoa is taking part in a World Cup for the first time since 2014.
The Red Roses recently played at WXV 1 against another of their upcoming group opponents, the USA. England won the opening game of the tournament 61-21 before defeating New Zealand and Canada to retain the trophy. England are favorites to win the World Cup, which begins on August 22, and would therefore lift the trophy for the first time since 2014. The Red Roses, unbeaten in 20 games in a row, reached the final in 2017 and 2022 but failed to make it both times, beaten by New Zealand.
England captain Marlie Packer told the BBC about her team’s dominance: “For me personally it is a great honor and a privilege [to lead England]. When you know every team wants to beat you, you can’t be complacent. You always have to develop within the team. When we train, we always strive to be the best.”
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Wales and Scotland have both been drawn in Pool B and will play against Canada and Fiji. Finally, Pool D includes Brazil, which will be taking part in a World Cup for the first time. The debutants will play against France, South Africa and Italy in the preliminary round of the competition.
The 2025 tournament, which has expanded from 12 to 16 teams, will take place at several different stadiums across the country, culminating in the final at Twickenham. In advance sales for the first game, the playoffs for third place and the final, more than 60,000 tickets were sold across all games.
After completing the pool phase of next year’s tournament, the top two teams in each pool advance to the quarterfinals. The schedule for the competition will be published on October 22nd.
