Wales face 'challenging' Rugby World Cup pool - Cunningham

Wales lost to Scotland in the 2024 Women's Six Nations

Wales have learned their opposition at next year's Rugby World Cup in England.

Ioan Cunningham's side have been drawn in Pool B along with Canada, Scotland and Fiji.

Wales were grouped with Six Nations rivals Scotland in the 2022 tournament, with Keira Bevan kicking a dramatic winning penalty.

They are also familiar with Canada, the world's second highest ranked team, having played them in a friendly in 2022 and again at WXV1 in 2023.

Wales have never come up against Fiji.

The world cup, which begins on 22 August, will be held across eight venues, with the final at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium on 27 September.

The fixtures will be confirmed on 22 October.

Wales captain Hannah Jones joined the other home nations' captains at the draw which was live on BBC's The One Show on Thursday night.

"It's a really exciting group, we know Canada is going to be one of the favourites going in, so that will be a really good, challenging game," Jones told BBC Sport.

"Scotland is always close, me and Rachel [Malcolm] were talking before the show, we played them at the last world cup, and we were like maybe it might be again.

"And then Fiji, I've never played Fiji before, so that's quite exciting. I watched them play against Scotland a couple of weeks ago with the offloading game, so it's a different type of rugby and I'm excited to play that game."

Two teams from each pool will progress to the knockout stages and Jones is hopeful Wales can make it to the last eight.

"It's really exciting, you never know what's going to happen in a Rugby World Cup," she added.

Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham said it was "definitely a challenging pool" and also an "an exciting opportunity".

"Every point will be vital in whatever game you play because I’m sure it will come down to potential bonus-points or points difference, so that Scotland game will be mouth-watering," he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"I did see something yesterday that it could be England [in the quarter-finals].

"If we do manage to reach the quarter-finals, what an opportunity and occasion that could be, Wales against England in the quarter-final of a world cup.

"I think it’s a realistic opportunity for us for sure, but we have got a lot of work to do between now and next August, obviously with the Six Nations in between as well.

"There’s great opportunities for players to really step up and obviously it’s going to be a huge world cup on a global stage."

Rugby World Cup 2025 draw in full

Pool A: England, Australia, USA, Samoa

Pool B: Canada, Scotland, Wales, Fiji

Pool C: New Zealand, Ireland, Japan, Spain

Pool D: France, Italy, South Africa, Brazil