High-stakes rivalries define 2027 Rugby World Cup draw
Rugby World Cup 2027 host nation Australia has been handed a challenging route to success after being drawn alongside powerhouse New Zealand in their pool.
The Wallabies were placed in Band 2 for the draw—following a recent winless tour of Europe—and ended up facing arguably the strongest team in the tournament, with the All Blacks joining them in Pool A,
News.Az reports, citing
The Sporting News.
Pool F will feature another high-stakes showdown, as long-time rivals England and Wales meet in what is expected to be a heated clash.
Six pools, each containing four teams, were confirmed for the event, which will take place in Australia from October 1 to November 13 in 2027.
Here is everything you need to know about the Rugby World Cup.
Rugby World Cup 2027 pools and nations
Pool A
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Chile
- Hong Kong China
Pool B
- South Africa
- Italy
- Georgia
- Romania
Pool C
- Argentina
- Fiji
- Spain
- Canada
Pool D
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Uruguay
- Portugal
Pool E
Pool F
- England
- Ireland
- Tonga
- Zimbabwe
Rugby World Cup 2027 matches
The match schedule will be announced on February 3, 2026.
Rugby World Cup 2027 format
Pool stage
- Win = 4 points
- Draw = 2 points
- Bonus point = Score 4 or more tries in a match
- Bonus point = Lose by less than 8 points
The six pool winners, six runners-up and four best third-placed teams progress to the knockout rounds.
Knockout stage
Starting with a round-of-16, there will be four single elimination rounds that will determine the winner of the Rugby World Cup.
There will also be a third-place playoff for the two semi-final losers.
News.Az
