Mark Selby faces Kurt Maflin, Ronnie O'Sullivan draws debutant in World Championship

Updated 16/04/2015 at 11:44 GMT

Defending champion Mark Selby will face Kurt Maflin in the first round of the World Championship at the Crucible.

Mark Selby and Ronnie O'Sullivan before the World Championship final

Image credit: Eurosport

Maflin, who beat Steve Davis in qualifying, will face a tough task when he takes on Selby, who won his first world title in 2014 after beating Ronnie O’Sullivan.

‘The Rocket’ will face debutant Craig Steadman in the opening round, while four-time champion John Higgins opens against Robert Milkins.

Elsewhere, Australian Neil Robertson plays Wales' Jamie Jones and England's Judd Trump faces debutant Stuart Carrington.

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O’Sullivan will be in a confident mood ahead of his encounter with Steadman, who will be competing at the Sheffield venue for the first time, despite suffering a first-round defeat on three occasions in the past.

Ronnie O´Sullivan

Image credit: Eurosport

World Snooker chairman Barry Heard said of the first-round match-up: “The one tie that hits me is Ronnie against the debutant. A pressure match for both players. One with everything to lose, one with everything to gain."

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World Championship first round draw:

Mark Selby (Eng) v Kurt Maflin (Nor)

Stephen Maguire (Sco) v Anthony McGill (Sco)

Joe Perry (Eng) v Zhang Anda (Chn)

Shaun Murphy (Eng) v Robin Hull (Fin)

Barry Hawkins (Eng) v Matthew Selt (Eng)

Mark Allen (NI) v Ryan Day (Wal)

Ali Carter (Eng) v Alan McManus (Sco)

Neil Robertson (Aus) v Jamie Jones (Wal)

Ding Junhui (Chn) v Mark Davis (Eng)