Wednesday 10 May 2017 17:07, UK
England have been hit with the "nightmare scenario" after drawing France and Argentina in their 2019 Rugby World Cup pool, according to Will Greenwood.
England have lost just once since Eddie Jones succeeded Stuart Lancaster as head coach, but have been handed a tough World Cup draw for the second successive tournament.
Under Lancaster, England were knocked out of the 2015 Rugby World Cup at the pool stage following defeats against Wales and Australia.
With the possibility of USA or Canada and Fiji or Samoa also being drawn in Pool C for the competition in Japan, Greenwood believes England have once again been handed the short straw.
"While you may not recognise France and Argentina as previous winners, which those other groups do contain, France are three-time losing finalists and Argentina have made the semi-finals twice in the previous three tournaments," Greenwood, who won the World Cup with England in 2003, told Sky Sports News HQ.
"It's that nightmare scenario where England have picked up that ninth seed (Argentina). There's some outstanding rugby development going on around the planet, but the top nine teams will go into the World Cup believing they can win it.
"England find themselves in the top four and again pick up Argentina, it's an unbelievably difficult group. The group could also pick up the USA who have just won on the sevens circuit and then potentially Fiji or Samoa."
England will get the opportunity to take a closer look at Argentina in June when they go on a two-Test tour before facing Daniel Hourcade's side again in November at Twickenham.
England have won their last six matches against Argentina, including last November despite playing 75 minutes with 14 men, while they have also beaten France in four of their last five meetings.
And despite conceding England face an unenviable task, Greenwood feels Jones and his players will benefit in the latter stages of the competition if they come through the group unscathed.
"You can look at the positive virtues of coming out of a really tough group, match hardened," Greenwood added.
"But having had that nightmare scenario in 2015, being in that tough pool and not extricating themselves from that tough pool, they'll be a few nerves.
"There can absolutely no doubt, they would have been a moment of disappointment for players in that England squad.
"The players and coaches will be thinking, yes we have to beat everyone to win the World Cup, but couldn't we have a slightly a more pleasant group."
