How the draw works for expanded Rugby World Cup in 2027
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
South Africa’s Siya Kolisi (left) running with the ball during the Rugby Championship Test match against New Zealand in Wellington on Sept 13.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
SYDNEY – The draw for the men’s 2027 Rugby World Cup takes place in Sydney, Australia on Dec 3.
It will be the biggest Rugby World Cup, with 24 teams, compared to 20 in recent editions.
AFP looks at how the draw works and which teams are involved.
How does the draw work?
The 24 teams will be placed in six pools of four, A to F.
The top two in each pool, plus the four best third-placed teams, will all reach the last-16 knockout round.
For the draw, teams are split into four bands of six, based on world rankings. Band 1 is South Africa, New Zealand, England, Ireland, France and Argentina.
Those six will be in separate pools in the first round.
Joining them in each pool will be one team each from Bands 2 to 4. The lowest-ranked teams are in Band 4.
The draw will take place at a television studio in Sydney with the participation of former New Zealand World Cup winner Dan Carter and Australia prop James Slipper, who retired this summer after his 151st cap.
Hosts Australia are in Band 2, so a theoretical “Group of Death” could be: South Africa, Australia, Georgia (from Band 3) and Samoa (Band 4).
The Springboks are reigning champions and currently top the world rankings.
At the other end of the scale, Hong Kong have qualified for the first time in their history.
How does it compare to previous World Cups?
More teams means an extra knockout round and slightly more matches – 52 games compared to 48.
Another change is from five teams in each pool to four, so one fewer match for each team in the group stage.
For example, when South Africa won the World Cup 2023, they played seven games – four in the pool stage and a quarter-final, a semi-final and the final.
If they were to reach the final in 2027 they would still play seven games – three in the pool stage, then a round-of-16 tie, a quarter-final, a semi-final and the final.
The knockout brackets are already mapped out. So, for example, the winners of Pool E will face the Pool D runners-up in the last 16.
According to World Rugby, the 2023 tournament lasted 50 days while the 2027 edition will be 43 days.
Where are the matches and when?
This is the first men’s Rugby World Cup in Australia since 2003, when the home side were beaten in the final by England.
Once the groups are finalised on Dec 3, World Rugby and the local organising committee will reveal the stadiums that will host games.
The only certainties so far are that the opening match will feature Australia and will be held at Perth Stadium on Oct 1, 2027.
The final will be held at Sydney’s 83,000-seat Stadium Australia on Nov 13.
The other host cities will be Melbourne, Adelaide, Townsville, Newcastle and Brisbane, which will also stage the 2032 Olympics. AFP
Band 1: South Africa, New Zealand, England, Ireland, France, Argentina
Band 2: Australia, Fiji, Scotland, Italy, Wales, Japan
Band 3: Georgia, Uruguay, Spain, United States, Chile, Tonga
Band 4: Samoa, Portugal, Romania, Hong Kong, Zimbabwe, Canada
