In sports, fortunes can shift in an instant, and that truth may play out again on December 3. When the draw for the Rugby World Cup 2027 takes place. There’s a real possibility that the defending champions. South Africa’s Springboks could find themselves in the same group as their Rugby Championship rivals and the tournament hosts, Australia.
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To understand why that’s significant, it helps to look back to 2016. At the time, South Africa was ranked seventh in the world. While New Zealand held the top spot. When the 2019 Rugby World Cup draw was made, the two Southern Hemisphere giants were placed together in Pool B.
Despite losing to the All Blacks in their opening match, the Springboks bounced back to lift the trophy for their third World Cup title. It was a powerful reminder that an early setback doesn’t have to define a team’s campaign.
Now, as the rugby world looks ahead to the 2027 tournament, a familiar storyline could emerge. Depending on how the World Rugby rankings shake out by December. South Africa and Australia might once again be grouped. The Wallabies currently sit seventh in the rankings following their recent loss to Italy, while Argentina occupies sixth.
Rugby World Cup: Wallabies Face a Steep Climb
Australia trails the Pumas by 2.61 points and faces a tough road ahead, with upcoming tests against top-ranked sides Ireland and France. To move into the top six and therefore earn a spot in Band One for the World Cup draw, the Wallabies must beat both Ireland and France.
Even then, they’ll need Argentina to drop points against Scotland and, more critically, England. If those results don’t go their way, Australia will likely remain seventh. Setting up the chance of sharing a pool with the Springboks is a scenario that would make life much tougher for the reigning champions.
On paper, South Africa is the superior side right now. They’ve proven their dominance repeatedly, most recently with their fourth World Cup triumph in 2023. Yet history shows that Australia can be dangerous when underestimated.
At Ellis Park, the Wallabies have previously shown that when they play with confidence and energy, they’re capable of upsetting even the world’s best. And with nearly two years to prepare for a home World Cup, they could be a very different team by 2027.
We’ve seen dramatic turnarounds before, none more striking than South Africa’s own resurgence. Between 2018 and now, the Boks have gone from the struggles of the Allister Coetzee era to becoming one of the most dominant rugby teams in history.
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Rugby World Cup Final: Wallabies Searching for Form
Their journey has shown that with the right leadership and belief, a struggling side can transform itself into world champions. The Springboks have also demonstrated that a team doesn’t need to be perfect to lift the Webb Ellis Cup. In 2019, they lost to New Zealand in their opening game but went on to win the tournament.
Benefitting from a favorable path that included a quarterfinal against Japan, the lowest-ranked team left in the competition. Four years later, in 2023, their path was far more challenging. They faced four of the world’s top five sides and still managed to claim the title. For Australia, though, the challenge is immense.
Their recent form paints a worrying picture six losses in their last eight test matches. Coach Joe Schmidt has been open about the work that lies ahead, acknowledging the steep climb his team faces before hosting the 2027 tournament. The Wallabies’ campaign has been plagued by inconsistency.
And Schmidt has urged his players to dig deep and rediscover their fighting spirit as the 2025 season winds down. Heading into a daunting clash against Ireland, Schmidt’s former team, Australia’s hopes of cracking the top six appear slim. A deflating loss to Italy has only added pressure, leaving their World Cup seeding prospects hanging by a thread.
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