The Rugby World Cup 2027 swimming pools have been confirmed in Wednesday’s attract Sydney, which positioned the event hosts Australia in the identical group as their rivals, the All Blacks.
The Tasman rivals have each been drawn in Pool A alongside Chile and Hong Kong China, and can meet at a World Cup for the primary time because the last in 2015.
The winner of their assembly will doubtless high Pool A, which might probably arrange a quarter-final with reigning champions South Africa, ought to they win their spherical of 16 encounter towards third-place of Swimming pools C, E or F. The Springboks, in the meantime, would wish to high Pool B and get by their spherical of 16 contest with third-place in Swimming pools D, E or F to arrange the showdown with both the Wallabies or the All Blacks.
The runner-up of Pool A will meet the runner-up of Pool E (France, Japan, USA, Samoa) within the spherical of 16, after which a possible match-up with England within the quarter-finals, who triumphed over each Australia and the All Blacks in November.
World Rugby chair Brett Robinson oversaw proceedings alongside a star-studded trio: double World Cup-winner Dan Carter, long-serving Wallabies skipper James Slipper, and Australia Sevens Olympic gold medallist Alicia Lucas.
Every pool incorporates 4 groups, one from every of the 4 bands decided by the World Rankings. It’s a system designed to reward the top-ranked groups by retaining them aside early on.
Band 1 featured South Africa, New Zealand, England, Eire, France and Argentina. Australia, Fiji, Scotland, Italy, Wales and Japan crammed Band 2. Georgia, Spain, Uruguay, USA, Chile and Tonga made up Band 3, whereas Samoa, Portugal, Romania, Hong Kong China, Zimbabwe and Canada rounded out Band 4.
The event will get underway on October 1, with Australia and New Zealand probably offering a mouth-watering curtain-raiser.
Pool A: New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Hong Kong China
Pool B: South Africa, Italy, Georgia, Romania
Pool C: Argentina, Fiji, Spain, Canada
Pool D: Eire, Scotland, Uruguay, Portugal
Pool E: France, Japan, USA, Samoa
Pool F: England, Wales, Tonga, Zimbabwe
