3 Dec 2012

Ex-England coach says victory over ABs vital for European game

11:37 am on 3 December 2012

The former England rugby coach Sir Clive Woodward says none of the top seeds will want to be in the same group as England when the 2015 Rugby World Cup draw is made overnight in London.

Despite their 38-21 win over the All Blacks on Sunday, England are not among the four top seeds, who are New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and France.

Woodward, who coached England to World Cup glory in 2003, says the result was important for European rugby because defeat would have suggested the Six Nations was a "second division competition".

England are in the second tier for the World Cp draw alongside Ireland, Samoa and Argentina, while Wales, who're on a seven-match losing streak, drop into the third band of seedings.