England face a crucial group game against 1995 world champions South Africa in the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

Clive Woodward's men have been drawn in Group C with the Springboks, while hosts and defending champions Australia are drawn in Group A alongside Argentina.

Second seeds France will play in Pool B with Scotland, while New Zealand are in Group D with Wales.

The eight quarter-finalists from the last 1999 World Cup were seeded in the order in which they finished.

It is irrelevant who is in your pool - you have to play all the top teams if you want to win the World Cup Rudolf Straeuli Springbok coach

The remaining 12 spots were determined by a series of regional qualifying tournaments.

The World Cup will run from 10 October to 22 November 2003, with matches played in most major cities around Australia.

Sydney's Olympic stadium will host the opening match, between Australia and Argentina on 10 October, as well as the final and both semi-finals.

The 20 teams have been split into four pools of five with the top two sides from each group advancing directly to the quarter-finals.

Guide to the venues

The draw comes two months after the initial launch date of 12 March 2002.

New Zealand lost its co-host status in April 2002 when the International Rugby Board (IRB) gave Australia the sole rights to stage the 48-match, 20-team tournament.

2003 Rugby World Cup groups

Pool A
Australia, Argentina, Ireland, Romania, Namibia
Pool B
France, Scotland, Fiji, Japan, USA
Pool C
SA, England, Samoa, Uruguay, Georgia
Pool D
NZ, Wales, Italy, Canada, Tonga

2003 Rugby World Cup schedule
All kick offs are UK time

1100 10 Oct: Aus v Arg (Pool A) Sydney
0530 11 Oct: NZ v Italy (Pool D) Melbourne
0800 11 Oct: Ireland v Romania (Pool A) Gosford
1030 11 Oct: France v Fiji (Pool B) Brisbane
1300 11 Oct: SA v Uruguay (Pool C) Perth

0900 12 Oct: Wales v Canada (D) Melbourne
1100 12 Oct: Scotland v Japan (B) Townsville
1300 12 Oct: England v Georgia (C) Perth

1030 14 Oct: Argentina v Namibia (A) Gosford

0800 15 Oct: Fiji v USA (B) Brisbane
1030 15 Oct: Italy v Tonga (D) Canberra
1300 15 Oct: Samoa v Uruguay (C) Perth

1030 17 Oct: NZ v Canada (D) Melbourne

0700 18 Oct: Australia v Romania (A) Brisbane
1000 18 Oct: France v Japan (B) Townsville
1300 18 Oct: SA v England (C) Perth

0900 19 Oct: Wales v Tonga (D) Canberra
1100 19 Oct: Ireland v Namibia (A) Sydney
1300 19 Oct: Georgia v Samoa (C) Perth

1030 20 Oct: Scotland v USA (B) Brisbane

1030 21 Oct: Italy v Canada (D) Canberra

1130 22 Oct: Argentina v Romania (A) Sydney

1100 23 Oct: Fiji v Japan (B) Townsville

0830 24 Oct: NZ v Tonga (D) Brisbane
1100 24 Oct: SA v Georgia (C) Sydney

0700 25 Oct: Australia v Namibia (A) Adelaide
0930 25 Oct: Italy v Wales (D) Canberra
1130 25 Oct: France v Scotland (B) Sydney

0730 26 Oct: Argentina v Ireland (A) Adelaide
0930 26 Oct: England v Samoa (C) Melbourne

0830 27 Oct: Japan v USA (B) Gosford

0830 28 Oct: Georgia v Uruguay (C) Sydney

0830 29 Oct: Canada v Tonga (D) Wollongong

0900 30 Oct: Romania v Namibia (A) Launceston

0830 31 Oct: France v USA (B) Wollongong

0500 01 Nov: Scotland v Fiji (B) Sydney
0730 01 Nov: SA v Samoa (C) Brisbane
0935 01 Nov: Australia v Ireland (A) Melbourne

0730 02 Nov: England v Uruguay (C) Brisbane
0935 02 Nov: NZ v Wales (D) Sydney

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