2027 World Cup Draw Wednesday 9am

Lost Ormond · 01-12-2025 07:51PM #1

The draw for the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup will take place in Sydney on Wednesday, and the format for the expanded tournament will see 24 teams divided into six pools of four teams each.

There will now be six pools with four teams in each. The top two teams from each pool will progress to the round of 16, while the four best third-place teams will also progress.

The draw will be streamed globally via RugbyPass TV and the World Rugby YouTube channel on Wednesday from 9am Irish time

The World Rugby Men’s Rankings at the end of the November internationals were used create four bands of six teams. Ireland are in Band 1, along with South Africa, New Zealand, England, France, and Argentina. Each band will be drawn randomly into Pools A, B, C, D, E, or F.

Australia already know they are in Pool A as they are the host nation and will therefore contest the opening game in October 2027.

The Wallabies are in Band 2, which means a team from Band 1 will be drawn and placed in Pool A, and will automatically be joined by Australia.

Band one

: South Africa, New Zealand, England, Ireland, France, Argentina.

Band two

: Australia, Fiji, Scotland, Italy, Wales, Japan.

Band three

: Georgia, Uruguay, Spain, United States, Chile, Tonga.

Band four

: Samoa, Portugal, Romania, Hong Kong, Zimbabwe, Canada

sydthebeat · 01-12-2025 08:00PM

Ireland, Japan, Tonga and Canada please.

Podge_irl · 01-12-2025 08:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124034648#Comment_124034648

I'd take Scotland, just cause it's funny.

US are the weakest team in band three I think (which is a damning indictment of US Rugby).

sydthebeat · 01-12-2025 08:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124034680#Comment_124034680

Tonga are really really weak too though.

Japan put 62 on then recently and the US beat them the last time they played.

They may recruit from ex-pats before the RWC though, so there is that

Jimbo789 · 01-12-2025 08:18PM

Surprised to see Samoa in band 4 not 3.

bingobango12 · 01-12-2025 08:19PM

Wales/Japan, anyone but Georgia & Tonga, anyone but Samoa.

Georgia a good bit ahead of the rest in band 3 with the potential to cause an upset if the opposition have a bad day, Tonga & Samoa due to their physicality/likelihood of losing the head and trying to take the head off opposition shoulders.

Round tower · 01-12-2025 09:25PM

Pure madness having the draw in 2025 for the WC in 027, an improvement on the last WC when it was drawn 3 years beforehand, it resulted in a shambles where teams was placed higher tan theWorld rankings. This draw should be made this time next year, after the Nations championship featuring the 6 nations, Argentina, Australia, NZ, SA, Japan and Fiji.

The draw for the FIFA WC in 2026 is being done on Friday.

Lost Ormond · 01-12-2025 09:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124034840#Comment_124034840

soccer has pretty much every team qualifying for the world cup 45 of the 48 teams competing have to qualify for this world cup and . rugby doesnt, it can be easier for rugby to sell itself with games and ticket sales if they do draw a bit earlier. Now as you say 2 years is better than last tournament. so how long before would you do the draw?

Narcis · 01-12-2025 11:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124034698#Comment_124034698

Well, in the last four months they have lost to Tonga, Fiji, USA and Chile and drawn to Chile and Belgium.

In any case, Samoa and Tonga come RWC will be different beasts. They will inherit a few former All Blacks and Wallabies, so I wouldn't like to be drawn in the same pool as them. Not only because of a potential upset but because of the physical toll.

Narcis · 01-12-2025 11:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124034702#Comment_124034702

To be honest, Georgia often disappoints in RWC. Other than THAT 2007 game, they barely scrapped through Namibia in 2015, lost heavily all the key games in 2019, finished winless in 2023…

And their RWC cycle is turning into a nightmare as Lelos have barely made any progress under Richard Cockerill (who could be cut in the coming months as he signed 2+2), made a stupid decision by quitting Rugby Europe Super Cup which has left Black Lion playing just friendlies outside their four Challenge Cup pool games and the union is being investigated for a massive doping scandal. I can't see them being a particular threat come 2027.

ionadnapóca · 02-12-2025 01:59PM

Looks like Pool A, B, C and D look like the easier routes to a QF if you win the group.

However, Pool E or F winner wouldn't be playing a group winner in a QF

Right now I'd take that Pool E or F route. Best possible chance of overcoming the hoodoo.

Alternatively Group C or D with Argentina the other 'Band 1' team in C or D.

Careful what you wish for.

Lost Ormond · 02-12-2025 02:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124036139#Comment_124036139

If we win a knockout of any kind the "hoodoo" is over in my eyes even if we havent made the semis. If we win a last 16 but lose a quarter its at least a knoxk out win which we've never done before.

ionadnapóca · 02-12-2025 02:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124036170#Comment_124036170

Its a low bar! Truth hurts

StevenToast · 02-12-2025 02:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124034648#Comment_124034648

Ok...So Ireland will pish through that group and be undercooked for the inevitable QF loss...

At least we should win a mickey mouse last 16 game which will be our first ever Knockout game victory at a World Cup.

Miley Byrne · 02-12-2025 02:34PM

I wouldn't agree. The quarter final has been our issue and that won't change if we beat Georgia or Uruguay in a last 16 game

Jump_In_Jack · 02-12-2025 02:39PM

Best scenario,

Pool E (or F) with Japan, Spain, Portugal

Japan round 1, Spain Round 2, Portugal Round 3

Ro16 v Wales

Qrtr v Fiji/Italy

Semi v Eng/Arg

Final v Aus

There would be some poetry to it if we could beat Japan, Wales, Argentina and Australia on our way to winning a World Cup!

sydthebeat · 02-12-2025 02:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124036214#Comment_124036214

Your enthusiasm is infectious

Round tower · 02-12-2025 05:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124034889#Comment_124034889

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2027_Men%27s_Rugby_World_Cup

Actually all 24 teams has all ready qualified for the 2027 RWC

This time next year after the Nations Championship, where u have the most up to date WR

StevenToast · 02-12-2025 06:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124036272#Comment_124036272

Enthusiasm???

Irelands record at the RWC is a disgrace.

Nothing to be enthusiastic about.…

Lost Ormond · 02-12-2025 07:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124036210#Comment_124036210

Its a very low bar but it would be something. we've either lost in a quarter final, quarter final playoff(Lens 99) or went out group stage. i would just hope a last 16 win would then hopefully make winning quarter easier…

Narcis · 02-12-2025 08:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124036784#Comment_124036784

World Rugby rushed all qualifiers so they could have the full roster of teams by the end of the year for two reasons. One was to know them ahead of the draw, since it was a disgrace that some teams qualified when tickets were no longer available. But the main one was to focus all investment for Tier 2 rugby in the 12 qualified nations.

Outside of these 12 that will be playing World Cup and Nations Cup, World Rugby funding will be dramatically decreased and their fixtures will probably be limited to their regional competitions.

Round tower · 02-12-2025 09:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124037220#Comment_124037220

If they had the draw next year it would give them extra time for the qualifiers

Lost Ormond · 02-12-2025 09:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124037413#Comment_124037413

We dont need extra time for the qualifiers though. if you have qualified teams earlier then you can have more targeted world rugby funding to help countries build towards the world cup. that funding isnt as good if you do draw and qualifiers are later. now you could argue extra funding could go to these countries anyway but you can focus specific things through having draw done earlier and teams know more on what they may need assistance with ahead of tournament

Narcis · 02-12-2025 10:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124037413#Comment_124037413

They wouldn't be able to focus all investment on the 12 qualified teams, as Nations Championship (and Nations Cup) were always meant to start in 2026.

RugbyAcount222 · 02-12-2025 11:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124036262#Comment_124036262

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124036978#Comment_124036978

Isn’t it always the way when you have the high hopes you get let down? Ireland no.1 in work 2023 WC heart break.

Given how bad previous world cups have been, I’d make a deal with the devil if it got us to the final…
Faz on the ropes after we come third in the next 2, 6 nations & no irish club team makes semis of champions cup but then we get a worldie draw and get to a World Cup final…. I’d bite your hand off for that.