The All Blacks have been drawn against hosts Australia in Pool A of the Rugby World Cup 2027. This marks the first time the two trans-Tasman rivals will meet in the pool stage of the tournament. The remaining two teams in Pool A are Chile and Hong Kong, China.
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It will be a special moment for Hong Kong China in particular, as this is the first time the nation has qualified for a Rugby World Cup. The full match schedule will not be revealed until February 3. But it already seems almost certain that New Zealand will face Australia in the opening match in Perth on October 1, 2027.
Speaking after the draw, Wallabies captain Harry Wilson made it clear who he expects to start the tournament against. Playing New Zealand in the opening match of the World Cup, it doesn’t get much better than that, Wilson said during the official broadcast.
Current Australia head coach Joe Schmidt, who will hand over to Les Kiss midway through next year, expressed similar enthusiasm. It’s a trans-Tasman battle which I think both teams are going to love,” Schmidt said. I think it would be a great way to kick it off.
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Rugby World Cup: South Africa Remain Favourites After Dominant Form
Elsewhere in the draw, defending world champions South Africa find themselves in Pool B, together with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The 2027 tournament will look different from past editions in several ways. Most notably, it will be the first Rugby World Cup to feature six pools of four teams, for a total of 24 nations.
Previous tournaments have had four pools of five teams, meaning 20 teams overall. Another significant change is the addition of a round of 16 knockout stage after pool play. From that point forward, the structure will follow the traditional format of quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a final.
In total, there will be 52 matches, slightly more than the 48 played in recent tournaments. However, no country will have to play more than seven matches, which remains consistent with previous World Cups.
The draw also raises interesting possibilities for the knockout rounds. If New Zealand finish first in Pool A and South Africa tops Pool B, and both sides win their round of 16 matches. The two rugby giants could meet as early as the quarter-finals.
That outcome would not be particularly appealing for All Blacks supporters or for potential head coach Scott Robertson. Especially considering South Africa’s current form. The Springboks are widely viewed as the best team in the world and defeated New Zealand convincingly in the most recent Rugby Championship.
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Rugby World Cup Final: All Blacks’ Rare Pool Defeat Record
They also edged the All Blacks 12-11 in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final in France. If New Zealand finish second in Pool A instead of first, their likely quarter-final opponent would be the winner of Pool F, which on paper should be England.
The All Blacks have an impressive history in the pool stage of World Cups, losing only one pool match since the inaugural tournament in 1987. That lone defeat came against France in 2023. New Zealand’s last loss to Australia was in 2020.
The draw, conducted in Australia on Wednesday, December 3. Confirmed all six pools for the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup and revealed an assortment of fun facts and historical firsts. Although both Australia and New Zealand are multiple-time world champions.
They have never met in a World Cup pool before. That will change in 2027, when they also share a group with Chile and Hong Kong, China. Hong Kong, China, the second-ranked nation in Asia, will become the 27th team ever to participate in a Rugby World Cup.
Pool A is entirely made up of Pacific-region nations, creating an interesting geographic grouping. Other notable details emerged as well. Italy, which has played in every World Cup, will face South Africa at a World Cup for only the second time.
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