Pool Draw 2027

[Leonormous Boozer]

Rugby World Cup 2027: When is the draw, format and why is it so early?

BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team explains when the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw will take place, the format and why it is conducted so early.

www.bbc.com

Didn't realise this was next week. Far less consequential than usual. As a seed one you'd probably rather avoid Pool A and then E and F are slightly less advantageous but there's not going to be any pool of death or anything.

It seems designed for Ireland to win a knockout game though so I love it.

Hoping to avoid South Africa, Japan, USA, Hong Kong so that WR doesn't get sued so bad the sport ends.

 

[OllyM97]

Rugby World Cup 2027: When is the draw, format and why is it so early?

BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team explains when the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw will take place, the format and why it is conducted so early.

www.bbc.com

Didn't realise this was next week. Far less consequential than usual. As a seed one you'd probably rather avoid Pool A and then E and F are slightly less advantageous but there's not going to be any pool of death or anything.

It seems designed for Ireland to win a knockout game though so I love it.

Hoping to avoid South Africa, Japan, USA, Hong Kong so that WR doesn't get sued so bad the sport ends.

There were too many mismatches and meaningless pool fixtures in the last RWC, so what is World Rugby’s answer?. To add 4 more teams who will be cannon fodder to create even more lop-sided games and strip the pool stage of any interest. 24 teams is absolutely rancid. 20 was just about doable. We’ve now got a last 16 round as well which will be absolutely enthralling watching SA put 80 on Spain or Chile. Get in the bloody bin - what a load of tripe.

 

[Vaquer]

Sydney in November should be warm and I haven't been since 2019. Maybe I could plan a trip

 

[spursincornwall]

There were too many mismatches and meaningless pool fixtures in the last RWC, so what is World Rugby’s answer?. To add 4 more teams who will be cannon fodder to create even more lop-sided games and strip the pool stage of any interest. 24 teams is absolutely rancid. 20 was just about doable. We’ve now got a last 16 round as well which will be absolutely enthralling watching SA put 80 on Spain or Chile. Get in the bloody bin - what a load of tripe.

Completely agree, as I said before, expanding the football world cup to 100 teams might lead to more lopsided scores, but no issues with safety. Rugby, either union or league are technical games, and the gulf in teams can be dangerous. The six nations need to work with Rugby Europe, expanding the quality of these teams. Summer tours should go the South America, unfortunately this will never happen

 

[Brigantine]

Now that it's the draw, maybe time to change the forum section from 2023 to 2027.

What are people looking for in the pool draw?
There isn't much jeopardy in terms of qualifying for the knock-outs, but maybe in terms of paths to the final avoiding certain band 1 teams, getting a decent warm-up game in the pool, or maybe rivalries or team pairs that have never played before?

For me, I'm hoping that as far as possible teams from the same annual competition are in different pools. 6N teams split 1 per pool, TRC, REC, Pacific 6N each split etc. so no England vs Wales or NZ vs Australia or Fiji vs Tonga - Pool games won't be competitive, so at least they can have novelty. The Nations League is there for competitiveness, the RWC is taking up the slack for uncompetitive novelty games, at least do that right!

Purely as an example - what would be good/bad/interesting about this draw?
E.g.
Pool A) France, ______ Australia, Georgia, Canada
Pool B) South Africa, Wales, ___ Uruguay, Samoa
Pool C) New Zealand, Italy, ____ USA, ___ Zimbabwe
Pool D) England, ____ Japan, ___ Spain, __ Hong Kong
Pool E) Ireland, ______ Fiji, ______ Chile, __ Romania
Pool F) Argentina, ___ Scotland, Tonga, _ Portugal

QF1:
France/Australia vs South Africa
QF2:
Ireland/Japan vs Scotland/Italy

QF3:
Argentina/Wales vs Australia/France/Fiji
QF4:
New Zealand vs England

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Now that it's the draw, maybe time to change the forum section from 2023 to 2027.

What are people looking for in the pool draw?
There isn't much jeopardy in terms of qualifying for the knock-outs, but maybe in terms of paths to the final avoiding certain band 1 teams, getting a decent warm-up game in the pool, or maybe rivalries or team pairs that have never played before?

For me, I'm hoping that as far as possible teams from the same annual competition are in different pools. 6N teams split 1 per pool, TRC, REC, Pacific 6N each split etc. so no England vs Wales or NZ vs Australia or Fiji vs Tonga - Pool games won't be competitive, so at least they can have novelty. The Nations League is there for competitiveness, the RWC is taking up the slack for uncompetitive novelty games, at least do that right!

Purely as an example - what would be good/bad/interesting about this draw?
E.g.
Pool A) France, ______ Australia, Georgia, Canada
Pool B) South Africa, Wales, ___ Uruguay, Samoa
Pool C) New Zealand, Italy, ____ USA, ___ Zimbabwe
Pool D) England, ____ Japan, ___ Spain, __ Hong Kong
Pool E) Ireland, ______ Fiji, ______ Chile, __ Romania
Pool F) Argentina, ___ Scotland, Tonga, _ Portugal

QF1:
France/Australia vs South Africa
QF2:
Ireland/Japan vs Scotland/Italy

QF3:
Argentina/Wales vs Australia/France/Fiji
QF4:
New Zealand vs England

I want this one too please.

 

[Scotty]

Now that it's the draw, maybe time to change the forum section from 2023 to 2027.

What are people looking for in the pool draw?
There isn't much jeopardy in terms of qualifying for the knock-outs, but maybe in terms of paths to the final avoiding certain band 1 teams, getting a decent warm-up game in the pool, or maybe rivalries or team pairs that have never played before?

For me, I'm hoping that as far as possible teams from the same annual competition are in different pools. 6N teams split 1 per pool, TRC, REC, Pacific 6N each split etc. so no England vs Wales or NZ vs Australia or Fiji vs Tonga - Pool games won't be competitive, so at least they can have novelty. The Nations League is there for competitiveness, the RWC is taking up the slack for uncompetitive novelty games, at least do that right!

Purely as an example - what would be good/bad/interesting about this draw?
E.g.
Pool A) France, ______ Australia, Georgia, Canada
Pool B) South Africa, Wales, ___ Uruguay, Samoa
Pool C) New Zealand, Italy, ____ USA, ___ Zimbabwe
Pool D) England, ____ Japan, ___ Spain, __ Hong Kong
Pool E) Ireland, ______ Fiji, ______ Chile, __ Romania
Pool F) Argentina, ___ Scotland, Tonga, _ Portugal

QF1:
France/Australia vs South Africa
QF2:
Ireland/Japan vs Scotland/Italy

QF3:
Argentina/Wales vs Australia/France/Fiji
QF4:
New Zealand vs England

Congrats to Japan on reaching a world cup SF

 

[saulan]

I think I want South Africa - Scotland - Georgia - Portugal.

Scotland because I want us to have a decent team from the second band so we don’t go into the knock outs undercooked. Australia can do that, but we play them all the time. The fringe options for that are Japan and Wales but they’re not where they used to be.

Georgia because I think they’re a good test in physicality even if they’re not a fully rounded team in skill set. If not them I want a team we haven’t played before, so Chile.

Then in the last band I don’t want the weakest team there because I think it will be too much of a cricket score otherwise. Therefore Portugal, with a second option of Romania.

 

[SéniorHuevo]

Now that it's the draw, maybe time to change the forum section from 2023 to 2027.

What are people looking for in the pool draw?
There isn't much jeopardy in terms of qualifying for the knock-outs, but maybe in terms of paths to the final avoiding certain band 1 teams, getting a decent warm-up game in the pool, or maybe rivalries or team pairs that have never played before?

For me, I'm hoping that as far as possible teams from the same annual competition are in different pools. 6N teams split 1 per pool, TRC, REC, Pacific 6N each split etc. so no England vs Wales or NZ vs Australia or Fiji vs Tonga - Pool games won't be competitive, so at least they can have novelty. The Nations League is there for competitiveness, the RWC is taking up the slack for uncompetitive novelty games, at least do that right!

Purely as an example - what would be good/bad/interesting about this draw?
E.g.
Pool A) France, ______ Australia, Georgia, Canada
Pool B) South Africa, Wales, ___ Uruguay, Samoa
Pool C) New Zealand, Italy, ____ USA, ___ Zimbabwe
Pool D) England, ____ Japan, ___ Spain, __ Hong Kong
Pool E) Ireland, ______ Fiji, ______ Chile, __ Romania
Pool F) Argentina, ___ Scotland, Tonga, _ Portugal

QF1:
France/Australia vs South Africa
QF2:
Ireland/Japan vs Scotland/Italy

QF3:
Argentina/Wales vs Australia/France/Fiji
QF4:
New Zealand vs England

If these are the groups Spain are beating Japan as it stands.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Anyone watching. Following on the Irish Times and they're saying it's a load of shoite

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Pool C is tasty
Wales v Tonga could be massive in Pool F
Georgia v Italy the other big fixture

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Oh, hi Scotland.

Win the group, and come on, its Scotland, and we likely meet Argentina in the QF. Honestly can't think of a better team to beat in a QF if we're ever going to reach a semi.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Anyone watching. Following on the Irish Times and they're saying it's a load of shoite

It's what it is tbh they are always a load of corporate shite

 

[Geordie]

• Pool A: Australia (hosts), Hong Kong China, Chile, New Zealand
• Pool B: Romania, Georgia, Italy, South Africa
• Pool C: Canada, Spain, Fiji, Argentina
• Pool D: Portugal, Uruguay, Scotland, Ireland
• Pool E: Samoa, USA, Japan, France
• Pool F: Zimbabwe, Tonga, Wales, England

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Australia v NZ
Italy v Georgia
Ireland v Scotland
Argentina v Fiji
Wales v Tonga
England v Wales

A few decent match ups that directly affect progress in the pools at least.

 

[Geordie]

Some good groups there actually.

 

[big ginger 8]

So currently there's 2 maybe 3 interesting matches for the top teams? Not ideal.

I'm sure some of the lower ranked teams will have crackers as always but with the time difference it might be my least watched world Cup since 2007.

 

[BPM]

How does it work beyond the group stage now there are six pools?

 

[BPM]

Some good groups there actually.

I know we’re two years out but at present, Group C is the only one with a more uncertain outcome. If the age profile of Ireland’s squad starts to become more of a problem then Scotland may close the gap but honestly, 5/6 of the group winners are unlikely to be in serious doubt.

 

[Brigantine]

Pool A: a Rugby Championship fixture
Pool B: a Rugby Europe Championship fixture
Pool C: an Americas Rugby Championship fixture
Pool D: a 6N fixture
Pool E: three Pacific 6N fixtures
Pool F: another 6N fixture

What's the point of a RWC again?

QF1: New Zealand vs South Africa (ouch)
QF2: Fiji/Wales/Tonga vs France/Scotland

QF3: Australia vs England (home advantage makes it interesting)
QF4: Argentina vs Ireland [EDIT: or Italy]

England's odds just got better

UPDATE:
R16 games for 3rd place in Pool A-D assuming they're ranked high
Pool C 3rd: Spain vs New Zealand
Pool D(/F) 3rd: Uruguay/Portugal(/Tonga) vs South Africa
Pool A 3rd: Chile vs Argentina
Pool B 3rd: Georgia/Italy vs Ireland