Rugby World Cup draw 2023: what group are Scotland in, who will they face in pool stage - and the France tournament explained

The final eight qualifiers will be determined by November 2022, joining the other 12 nations already qualified for the 20-team tournament

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend will prepare his troops for South Africa and Ireland at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. (Pic: Getty Images)

Scotland will come up against Ireland and South Africa at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, following the pool stage draw on Monday 14 December.

It is the second time in as many tournaments Scotland and Ireland have been drawn against one another in the group stage.

Gregor Townsend’s Scots will also face reigning champions South Africa, who won in Japan last year, and two as yet unknown qualifiers.

Scotland have been drawn in Pool B.

Who is hosting the next Rugby World Cup in 2023?

The next Rugby World Cup will take place in France between 8 September and 21 October 2023 across 10 cities.

Twelve teams have already qualified for the tournament in France, with the remaining eight teams to be finalised by November 2022.

The tournament will see four groups of five teams with the top two from each qualifying for the quarter-finals.

Organisers are expected to reveal information around the fixtures, including dates, locations and times, by the end of February 2021.

Who is predicted to win the Rugby World Cup?

South Africa produced an epic performance against England in the final in Japan to lift the Webb Ellis Cup - and top World Rugby’s rankings at the time of the 2023 draw.

England are ranked behind them in second place, narrowly ahead of New Zealand.

They are followed in order by France, Ireland, Australia, Scotland (ranked seventh), Argentina, Wales and Japan at the time of placements in December 2020.

Where is the Rugby World Cup in 2027?

World Rugby's official bidding process opens in February 2021, with Australia, Russia and Argentina in the running to become the host nation.

Which country has won the most Rugby World Cups?

Two countries, both from the southern hemisphere, have won the World Cup three times - New Zealand and South Africa.

Australia have won it twice and England once from the nine tournaments to be held since the Rugby World Cup formed in 1987.

England are the only northern hemisphere nation to win the tournament.

How did Scotland fare at the last Rugby World Cup?

Scotland have appeared at every World Cup since it formed and often made it through to the knockout stages of the competition.

They have only failed to advance from the pool stage in 2011 and 2019.

Scotland’s best finish came in the 1991 tournament when they made it to the semi final stage, narrowly losing 6-9 to England.