The computer does nothing, just whirs and flashes while they read out the pre prepared card.

That is so Lost In Space

OK if I was the computer programmer, this would be the line up:
New Zealand, Scotland and Japan
England, South Africa and Argentine
Australia, France and Fiji
Ireland, Wales and Georgia

New Zealand will go through whichever group its in. It was a toss up whether I would put South Africa or France with England, but decided that France will not be as strong as South Africa in a RWC.

Take NZ out of the equation and the next 7 can all beat each other depending on which way the wind blows on the day .

Almost true, Wales can't beat Australia!

depends on the wind

No worries. The random selection is drawn from a hat as far as I know.

It's actually a little bit more complicated than just the rankings, because whilst the groups are decided based on rankings, qualification itself isn't. The sides getting 3rd placed or better get to qualify automatically, wheras those finishing 4th or 5th have to go through qualification (hence Fiji have technically not yet qualified for the WC whilst Georgia and Italy, both lower ranked, have done).

In practice though it's extremely unlikely that any side ranked higher than 16th or so will *not* qualify for the RWC. Further down though it's likely the 5th pot, with the 4 weakest teams of the 20 in the WC, won't actually be ranked 17th-20th, and will include a couple of teams ranked lower than 20th (e.g. Kenya or Zimbabwe might pip Namibia to the one space reserved for the best African side besides SA).

What kind of hat is it drawn from?

Stovepipe to suit Welsh fans?
Beret? Bowler? Leprachaun? See you Jimmy? One with corks on?

Arguably it should go in the national hat of the host country I suppose. Anything else would be frankly offensive

There is an all parties meeting in Cancune in June to discuss what style hat will be used, the result wil be announced at the meeting in Australia in July and the person to draw will be announced in the special exemplary meeting in Fiji in September.

There will be an extraordinary meeting for all balz, Erm, representatives, in in Stockholm in November and the outcome will be published shortly after the London Hilton meeting in January

Plus the meeting in Bora Bora to discuss shortening of the 6 Nations campaign.

I started this thread and the thread about Welsh props because I was bored.
But must admit there has been some interesting discussions and some banter, which is always welcome.

What does the draw you mention get drawn from? The sensible approach would be to use a bowler to represent England as last hosts I suppose? The whole system of drawing it out of national hats is bureaucracy gone mad. I don't know why they ever implemented the idea.

You have bowler hats for england because the whole World knows how to piss in one!

Nah, they tried it with a grown for England and all the papers fell though cos there was not bottom/top in it
They should have known it would end in tiaras