Paris (AFP)
The Covid-19 will not prevent the draw for the 2023 Rugby World Cup: it will take place on November 30 as scheduled, in Paris or "by videoconference", announced the director general of the competition Claude Atcher on Wednesday at L'Equipe newspaper.
"The date of November 30 is set in stone. If the health crisis is still severe and does not allow a meeting, we will do the draw by videoconference," said the head of the organizing committee of the Mondial-2023 organized in France. .
Concerning the world classification which will be taken into account to carry out the drawing and to distribute the twelve teams already qualified between the first three hats, Mr. Atcher evoked three scenarios.
All will depend on whether the next international tours (July and fall) and whether the last matches of the Six Nations Tournament may or may not take place. Depending on the case, it is either the ranking according to Mondial-2019 (if nothing can stand) or the last ranking published that will prevail.
"This matter will be officially decided by a Rugby World Cup board of directors in June," said Atcher.
The teams already assured of their place are South Africa, reigning world champion, France as the host country, New Zealand, Wales, England, Ireland, Australia, Japan, Scotland, Argentina, Fiji and Italy.
Eight other teams have yet to qualify. They will then be poured into pots 4 and 5.
© 2020 AFP