If any country can be said to achieve a result merely from their positioning in a draw, it is England. This afternoon's draw in London for the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand placed them in pool B where the leading seed is Argentina, thereby avoiding one of the three southern-hemisphere giants who defeated them in successive matches at Twickenham last month.

South Africa, holders of the World Cup after their win in the 2007 final over England, have Wales as their main rivals while the current leaders in the International Rugby Board's global rankings, New Zealand, face the challenge of France on their own turf in pool A. That, as it happens, brings together the two finalists from the inaugural World Cup of 1987, the only global tournament won by the All Blacks.

Much can change in three years, of course, and how England must hope that is true after a dispiriting autumn. But they will know that the Argentina of this year is not that of 2007, when their spirited assault earned them the bronze medal; that team is still in the process of breaking up, a new coach is finding his feet and because their international programme remains so limited, they take longer than other countries to establish themselves.

The same, though, has been true of England ever since they won the Webb Ellis Cup in 2003. They played Argentina in the pool stage of the 1995 tournament, in South Africa, and did not find it easy going. The last time they met the Pumas, at Twickenham in 2006, they lost 25-18 so they have no reason at this stage to feel confident in a pool which also includes Scotland - opponents they have met only once before in a World Cup, in the 1991 semi-final.

That pool will be completed by Europe 1 - perhaps Georgia or Romania - and the winners of the play-off between the best of America/Africa and Oceania/Asia. Wales, the grand-slam holders who beat Australia in Cardiff last Saturday, will enjoy a tilt at the Springboks but will also keep an eye over their shoulders for Fiji, to whom they lost in the final pool match of the 2007 tournament, a result which cost their then coach, Gareth Jenkins, his job.

Pool A
New Zealand
France
Tonga
Americas 1
Asia 1

Pool B
Argentina
England
Scotland
Europe 1
play-off winner

Pool C
Australia
Ireland
Italy
Europe 2
Americas 2

Pool D
South Africa
Wales
Fiji
Oceania 1
Africa 1