TOURNAMENT organizers have been criticized after the drawing of the groups backfired on the competition in spectacular fashion. As we head closer to the France 2023 Rugby World Cup, the groups are very even but are not conducive to a competitive event when it comes to the latter stages.

The Rugby World Cup is always one of the biggest sporting spectacles when it appears on the calendar, with it being held every four years. Fans get excited to witness the very best the international side of the sport has to offer, with many adding an online betting experience with bookmakers like Betway to enhance the occasion as they can get access to a range of competitive odds and markets.

However, this year’s edition of the event might pose a few interesting moments. The draw for the competition has been revealed to be one-sided in terms of the world rankings, with the top five sides all on the same side of the draw, while those ranked between sixth and tenth appear on the other side.

With the pools being drawn at the end of 2020 – World Rugby stated the early draw was because of ticketing reasons and guaranteed income for the hosts – it has presented a scenario that is far from ideal for the sport’s premier competition.

However, there is still time whereby this can change, with Michel Poussau, executive director of France 2023, stating rugby has never been as competitive as it has been over the last few years. He also stressed that it is a possibility that the rankings can still change before the tournament, which could alter the pools. He is also of the opinion that it will still be the best tournament ever and it will be “amazing from the start to the end”.

Currently, the four pools look like the following:

• Pool A – New Zealand, France, Italy, Uruguay, Namibia
• Pool B – South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Tonga, Romania
• Pool C – Wales, Australia, Fiji, Georgia, Portugal
• Pool D – England, Japan, Argentina, Samoa, Chile

One of the reasons the pool draw has become challenging is because of the change in rankings experienced by England and Wales. At the time of the drawing in 2020, both were ranked inside the top four of the world rankings and were always a favourite for bettors at Betway.

However, they have struggled in recent years with form, which has seen their rankings drop considerably. England is now sixth in the world, while Wales has dropped as low as ninth, hence why both find themselves on that side of the draw.

The biggest concern will be the fact that only two of the top five teams – which are all on one side of the draw (Ireland, France, New Zealand, South Africa (who are defending champions) and Scotland) – will be able to progress to the semi-finals of the competition. This would mean three of the biggest teams exiting the competition at the pool stage.