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Despite England's stunning 38-21 victory over New Zealand yesterday, it was not enough to secure a top four seeding for the World Cup draw, with those positions occupied by the All Blacks, South Africa, Australia and France
Stuart Lancaster's men comprehensively beat the world champions yesterday, but they will be keen to avoid being pitted against the All Blacks again so early in the tournament.
After a mixed return from the Autumn Test series, the World Cup hosts will definitely face one of the tier one-ranked teams and could also face Wales or Scotland in the same pool.
Not you again: Piri Weepu leads the Haka before New Zealand were beaten by England at Twickenham yesterday
Lancaster and Co are joined by Ireland, Samoa and Argentina in tier two, and Wales are almost certain to appear in the famed 'pool of death', as they are in tier three alongside Italy, Tonga and the Scots.
The identities of eight remaining teams will be confirmed by World Cup qualifying games for a tournament that sees England as host nation and starts on September 18, 2015.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson will be involved in the draw, where he will be joined by Rugby World Cup chairman Bernard Lapasset, England Rugby 2015 chief executive Debbie Jevans and New Zealand's 2011 World Cup-winning captain Richie McCaw, among others.
All the talk, though, will be about England's record win against the All Blacks, which suggests they could be major World Cup contenders in under three years' time.
'It was a great, great victory for the English team,' England's 2003 World Cup-winning coach Sir Clive Woodward told Sportsweek on Radio Five Live.
'The scoreline absolutely reflected the performance and it was a great, great day to be at Twickenham.
'It was a real David and Goliath effort. They (England) came out and threw the kitchen sink and New Zealand got completely rattled. Every phase of the game they won.
'It makes the draw fascinating, given England have just demolished New Zealand. The top four sides will not want to be playing against England.
Contenders? Chris Ashton (right) and Co proved they can mix it with the best
Another piece of silverware? Chris Robshaw will be hoping to lift the World Cup in 2015 at Twickenham
'The draw is really important because it shows which way you go through the quarter-finals, semi-finals.
'That one result yesterday will make the southern hemisphere teams sit up and say for once 'we want to keep away from England'.'
Wales scrum-half Mike Phillips, speaking of their fiendishly tough pool, said: 'I don't think it bothers us. The World Cup is a long way off, 2015. A lot can happen between now and then.
'All you are concerned about as a player is your next game. It's your next job. The World Cup is miles away, and so is next summer's Lions tour of Australia.'
And Wales centre Jonathan Davies added: 'With what we did at the last World Cup, I think people will be fearing us, not the other way around.
'We had a tough group last time, so I am sure the boys will be pretty confident that whoever we draw we can compete with.'
Wales reached the quarter-finals from a pool that included South Africa and Samoa in New Zealand last year, before bowing out by a point to semi-final opponents France after skipper Sam Warburton wa sent off midway through the first half.
Tough ruck: Wales are set for a difficult pool
Ireland, meanwhile, should feel reasonably confident whoever they draw, given a largely convincing autumn series that concluded with them defeating Rugby Championship newcomers Argentina in impressive fashion.
Scotland, though, after losing successive November fixtures to New Zealand, South Africa and Tonga - then seeing head coach Andy Robinson resign as a result - will go into the draw as 12th and last seeds.
'The anticipation ahead of the draw has been palpable,' Lapasset said.
'I am looking forward to an event that will truly signal the beginning of the countdown to England's hosting of Rugby World Cup 2015 for teams and fans.'
Johnson added: 'London proved this summer that it is simply the best place in the world to stage international sport.
'So it is fantastic that as host city for 2015 we have been given the honour of staging matches from another of the world's largest sporting events, which will see top-flight competition return to London and the UK's iconic venues so quickly after the 2012 Games.'
The big draw takes place in London tomorrow, so look below to see Sportsmail's guide on how it could pan out.
A GUIDE TO THE 2015 RUGBY WORLD CUP DRAW
* The 20-team competition will comprise four pools, each containing five countries.
* Seedings are based on the current International Rugby Board world rankings, with teams divided into five tiers of four.
* Tier one is New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and France.
* Tier two is England, Ireland, Samoa and Argentina.
* Tier three is Wales, Italy, Tonga and Scotland.
* Tier four is Oceania 1, Europe 1, Asia 1 and Americas 1.
* Tier five is Africa 1, Europe 2, Americas 2, Repechage winner.
* The identity of tier four and five countries will be confirmed after World Cup qualifying games.
* A tier one country will be drawn into each of the four pools, followed by one from tier two, tier three, etc.
* The trademark 'pool of death' is likely to be the one that includes Wales, who were World Cup semi-finalists in New Zealand last year.
* The top two teams in each pool will progress to the 2015 World Cup quarter-finals.
* The top three teams in each pool will secure automatic qualification for the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
* The competition will run from September 18 to October 31, 2015, with Twickenham hosting the final.
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