POOL C
ARGENTINA
Pool: Fiji, Spain, Canada
Projected finish: 1st
Round of 16: Best third-place qualifier
Quarter-final: Ireland
Semi-final: England
Final: France, South Africa or New Zealand
Argentina have one of the trickiest pools of the top seeds because of Fiji.
Win it, though, and a huge quarter-final against Ireland could await.
FIJI
Pool: Argentina, Spain, Canada
Projected finish: 2nd
Round of 16: Wales
Quarter-final: France
Semi-final: South Africa or New Zealand
Final: England, Ireland or Argentina
Fiji’s potential path is fascinating.
A likely Round of 16 clash against Wales could be followed by France and then potentially one of South Africa or New Zealand.
SPAIN
Pool: Argentina, Fiji, Canada
Projected finish: 3rd
Round of 16: New Zealand if they qualify in the expected third-place permutation
Quarter-final: South Africa
Semi-final: France
Final: England, Ireland or Argentina
Spain have a realistic target of beating Canada and attempting to collect enough points to qualify among the best third-placed teams.
CANADA
Pool: Argentina, Fiji, Spain
Projected finish: 4th
Round of 16: Must outperform seeding to qualify
Quarter-final: Dependent on qualification
Semi-final: Dependent on bracket
Final: Dependent on bracket
Canada’s meeting with Spain could prove crucial if they are to upset the expected finishing order.
POOL D
IRELAND
Pool: Scotland, Uruguay, Portugal
Projected finish: 1st
Round of 16: Best third-place qualifier
Quarter-final: Argentina
Semi-final: England
Final: France, South Africa or New Zealand
Ireland could hardly accuse the draw of giving them an easy ride.
Argentina could await in the last eight before a potential semi-final against England.
SCOTLAND
Pool: Ireland, Uruguay, Portugal
Projected finish: 2nd
Round of 16: France
Quarter-final: Fiji or Wales
Semi-final: South Africa or New Zealand
Final: England, Ireland or Argentina
Scotland’s clash with Ireland could be enormous.
Second place potentially sends them straight into a Round of 16 showdown with France.
URUGUAY
Pool: Ireland, Scotland, Portugal
Projected finish: 3rd
Round of 16: South Africa if they qualify in the expected third-place permutation
Quarter-final: New Zealand
Semi-final: France
Final: England, Ireland or Argentina
Uruguay’s clash with Portugal could effectively become a shootout for third place and possible qualification.
PORTUGAL
Pool: Ireland, Scotland, Uruguay
Projected finish: 4th
Round of 16: Must outperform seeding to qualify
Quarter-final: Dependent on qualification
Semi-final: Dependent on bracket
Final: Dependent on bracket
Portugal were one of the great entertainers of the 2023 tournament and will believe they can upset the projected order.