England to start RWC defence in Lens

England will begin the defence of their Rugby World Cup crown in the Northern French city of Lens against one of the qualifiers from the America region - possibly the US Eagles or Canada.

They will probably have an easier task than the last national sporting side from England who played in a World Cup match at the Stade Felix-Bollaert - the English soccer side who beat Colombia in 1998.

That game is on the eighth of September 2007, the day after France kick off the tournament against another of the America region qualifiers - most likely Argentina.

The crunch game for England will be against South Africa on September 14 in the Stade de France. Wales meet Australia in Cardiff the day after.

France, who with Ireland and almost certainly Argentina in their group have a tough draw for a host side, meet Ireland in the Stade de France on September 21, and Scotland play New Zealand in Edinburgh on September 23.

The fixture plan means that none of the eight seeds will play each other in the finla round of pool matches, although Ireland are likely to meet Argentina at Parc des Princes in their final pool match, and Scotland could well be up against Six Nations competitors Italy in St. Etienne.

Assuming all the pools finish according to the seedings, England would have to get past first Wales in the quarter-finals, then France in the semis, to get to the final.

Australia would first meet South Africa in the quarter-finals, then New Zealand in the semi-final.

France are likely to meet Scotland - or maybe Italy - in the quarter-final, and New Zealand would meet the winners of the Ireland-Argentina Pool D clash.

View whole RWC 2007 Schedule