Scotland got lucky yesterday when the draw for the 2011 Rugby World Cup finals presented them with a chance to play the only two higher-rated countries they have beaten in the past year, Argentina and England.

Having failed in their bid to get into the world's top eight, thereby running the risk of facing two of the sport's super-powers, it was an outcome that was certain to generate both hope and genuine excitement.

While they are seeded to fail to make the quarter-finals for the first time, the Scots should now enter the competition believing they can not only get to the knockout stages but win their pool. Where last year's World Cup pool campaign effectively came down to one match when Scotland met Italy, this is a two-match pool for all concerned, with the real possibility that those three could beat one another and have to settle things on tie-breaks such as points difference or try count.

Since Scotland have never beaten New Zealand's All Blacks, have failed to defeat Australia's Wallabies in more than quarter of a century and have beaten South Africa's Springboks just once since they returned to the international arena in the mid-1990s, their principal hope had to be that, of the top four seeds, they would meet Argentina's Pumas.

And while England are among the four countries to have won the Webb Ellis and are by far the best-resourced nation in the rugby world, Scotland have beaten their Auld Enemy twice in their last three meetings.

There is, of course, little chance that England will continue to perform as poorly as in recent weeks when losing heavily to the Wallabies, Springboks and All Blacks in turn. However the Pumas' problems in not being involved in either of the major annual championships, causing them to lack top-level matches, will continue until beyond the 2011 World Cup when they finally join the Southern Hemisphere Tri-Nations tournament in 2012.

Despite losing to the Pumas in the quarter-finals of last year's tournament, Scotland should have a significant competitive edge against a country that will be without several of the veterans who saw them through then, while there is never any question of them being able to raise their game against England. It will be only the second time Scotland have faced England in the tournament's history, having lost to them 9-6 in the 1991 World Cup semi-final.

Frank Hadden, Scotland's head coach, was understandably restrained in his reaction and was swift to note that the order of matches will also be vital following a bad experience when they had to play the All Blacks and Italy within a week during last year's tournament in France. However, his relief at having avoided the big three SANZAR countries was evident.

"It's a good draw and one that gives Scotland every chance of maintaining our proud record of being one of only five countries to qualify for the quarter-final of every World Cup," he said.

"As far as our Pool B opponents are concerned, I'm happy with the draw. That is the first piece of the jigsaw. The second piece is the scheduling of games and I believe it is absolutely imperative that games are scheduled to allow players proper recovery and preparation time, given the intensity of international matches."

With Europe 1 - likely to be Romania, Georgia, Russia, Spain or Portugal - and the winners of the repechage play-off - probably another of those European minnows or Uruguay - making up the group, the chances are that they will be able to cruise through those matches.

"It looks as if we've missed the Pacific Islands' countries, as they are pretty much playing on their home patch, so that's a bonus," added Hadden.

He did not say so specifically but that reflected relief at having avoided the plight of current European champions Wales, whose paltry reward for climbing to fifth place in the world rankings was to find themselves grouped not only with the Springboks but with Fiji and almost certainly Samoa in Pool D. As well as always providing physically punishing opposition, the Fijians knocked Wales out of the last World Cup, while Samoa have beaten them in two previous tournaments.

The third Celtic nation has also been given a challenging task since, along with the Wallabies, Pool C pits Ireland against Italy, who, unlike the Pumas, have improved year on year since entering the Six Nations Championship in 2000. While Tonga are likely to be feisty, their defeat of Samoa at last year's World Cup to earn a place in the third group of seeds was a surprise and they are unlikely to prevent Pool A coming down to a straight play-off between New Zealand and France for the better quarter-final draw.

Therein lies the sting in the tail for Scotland because, even if they do get through, they will play one of those two in the quarter-finals. Indeed, it is even conceivable, going by France's record of upsetting the Kiwis, that Scotland could come through and win their pool and still find themselves facing their Nemesis, the All Blacks, in the quarter-finals.

That is speculative at this stage and, as Hadden alluded to, the principal challenge facing the Scots is maintaining a proud record of being among five countries - New Zealand, Australia, France and England - to have played in the knockout stages of every World Cup.

What seems rather less so is the matter of where they are likely to be playing their matches. With Scotland and England coming out together they are all but certain to find themselves based together on the South Island with Scotland in Dunedin and England in Christchurch.

Rugby World Cup 2011

Pool A
New Zealand
France
Tonga
Americas 1
Asia 1

Pool C
Australia
Ireland
Italy
Europe 2
Americas 2

Pool B
Argentina
England
Scotland
Europe 1
Play-off winner

Pool D
S Africa
Wales
Fiji
Oceania 1
Africa 1

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