Australia’s struggles in international rugby and their preparations for the Rugby World Cup 2027 have been a major talking point, especially for people who understand the inner workings of the sport. One of those voices is Dave Wessels, SA Rugby’s general manager for high-performance rugby. I have coached both the Western Force and the Melbourne Rebels between 2016 and 2021.
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Wessels knows Australian rugby from the inside, and he believes their biggest challenge heading into the next Rugby World Cup 2027 is building genuine player depth. If the Wallabies fail to strengthen their squad depth, he warns, they could again fall short on the global stage, something they can’t afford as hosts in 2027.
Historically, Australia has been one of rugby’s great powers, lifting the Webb Ellis Cup in 1991 and again in 1999. But over the past decade, their performances have dipped, leaving fans and analysts frustrated. Their 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign under veteran coach Eddie Jones was nothing short of disastrous.
For the first time in the history of the tournament, Australia crashed out in the pool stages, a moment that stunned the rugby world. Jones left the job after less than a year in charge and later resurfaced as the head coach of Japan.
Australia appointed former Ireland boss Joe Schmidt to turn things around, and while he has made progress, the Wallabies are still a work in progress. Their 2025 season showed signs of competitiveness,
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The results remained inconsistent: they won only four out of 14 Test matches. Despite the low win count, Wessels believes Schmidt has the team headed in the right direction, provided Australia solves the depth problem that keeps catching up with them.
Wessels explains that Australia can beat almost any team when they have their best 23 players available. At the start of a season, when players are fresh and fit, the Wallabies can hold their own against top-tier nations. But the issue becomes obvious when injuries strike or when long tours begin to wear players down.
Unlike nations such as South Africa. New Zealand, Ireland, or France, Australia simply does not have enough high-quality replacements ready to step in. This lack of depth becomes glaringly clear at the tail end of the season. As the host nation of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, Australia must address this problem urgently.
Wessels believes that developing a deeper pool of players is vital if they want to be competitive on home soil. Strengthening Super Rugby, improving pathways, and retaining top talent will all be essential pieces of that puzzle.
On the other side of the rugby landscape, South Africa continues to dominate the international scene. Wessels says the Springboks will naturally head into the next Rugby World Cup as one of the favourites, especially given the strong structures established under Rassie Erasmus.
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He predicts the 2027 tournament will draw huge crowds and boost the sport in Australia, but he also warns that it is far too early to pick a winner. Many things can change in the two years leading up to the event. Meanwhile, Eddie Jones, who left Australia under a cloud, has settled back into his role as Japan’s head coach.
After a performance review at the end of 2025, the Japan Rugby Football Union confirmed that Jones would remain in charge through the 2027 Rugby World Cup Final. Chairman Kensuke Iwabuchi explained that although there were many internal discussions, the overall feeling was that the team had shown real improvement, especially when comparing their form in 2024 to 2025.
Japan’s results under Jones have been mixed but not without promise. They drew their home series against Wales 1-1, then travelled to Europe, where they endured a heavy 61-7 defeat to South Africa and a 41-10 loss to Ireland. However, they pushed Wales all the way in a narrow 24-23 loss and ended the tour with a dramatic 25-23 win over Georgia thanks to a last-minute penalty.
Japan closed the year with five wins and six losses, but importantly, signs of growth. Looking ahead to 2027, Japan has been grouped with France, Samoa, and the United States. It’s a challenging pool, but with Jones at the helm and steady improvement already visible, the Brave Blossoms believe they can build towards a competitive campaign.
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