Interesting statistics on past RWC pools

To whet your appetite ahead of the Rugby World Cup 2015 Pool Allocation Draw in London on Monday we bring you some Interesting statistics on past Rugby World Cup pools for the directly qualified teams.

* New Zealand have always finished top of its pool in Rugby World Cup history.

* Eight other nations have topped a RWC pool – France (five times), South Africa and Australia (four times), England (three times), Wales (twice), Argentina, Ireland and Scotland (once).

* Australia have never met New Zealand, France or Scotland in the pool stages in Rugby World Cup history.

* England faces France, Ireland and Wales every year in the RBS Six Nations, but has never met them in the pool stages.

* Samoa and South Africa have been drawn in the same pool at the last three Rugby World Cups.

* France have never been drawn in the same pool as Australia, England, Italy, South Africa, Samoa or Wales. By contrast they have faced Scotland three times in the pool stages – in 1987, 1995 and 2003.

* The hosts and defending champions have been drawn in the same pool on two occasions – England and New Zealand in 1991 and South Africa and Australia in 1995.

* Ireland have been in the same pool as Australia on three occasions (1999, 2003 and 2011). They have also met the Wallabies twice in the knockout stages.

* Italy and New Zealand are no strangers to each other in RWC pool stages, having faced each other in five of the seven tournaments to date, the exceptions being 1995 and 2011.

* The defending champions have never met Australia, Samoa, Scotland or South Africa in the pool stages, but have faced three of the quartet in the knockout stages.

* South Africa have never faced Argentina, France, Ireland, Italy or New Zealand in a RWC pool match.

* Tonga have found New Zealand awaiting them in the pool stages on three occasions (1999, 2003 and 2011).

* Wales and Samoa have been drawn in the same pool on three occasions with the Welsh finally discovering that winning formula in 2011 after losses in 1991 and 1999.

* Argentina and South Africa have never met in the pool stages of a Rugby World Cup.

* Scotland have been drawn in the same pool as Romania at the last two Rugby World Cups, but have never met Australia, Samoa or USA at this stage of the tournament.

** THE POOL ALLOCATION DRAW WILL BE STREAMED LIVE ON RUGBYWORLDCUP.COM FROM 14:55 UK TIME ON 3 DECEMBER (15:55 CET, 16:55 (South Africa), 11:55 (Argentina), 01:55 4 December (NSW Australia), 03:55 4 December (New Zealand, Fiji), 04:55 4 December (Samoa) **