Springboks draw old friends Italy in Pool B for 2027 World Cup, avoid the Wallabies
RUGBY WORLD CUP 2027
South Africa’s Pool B opponents in Australia — Italy, Georgia and Romania — offer a more navigable start to the 2027 World Cup. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
The Springboks will contest the 2027 World Cup in Australia in Pool B and should have a relatively straightforward run against their pool-mates Italy, Georgia and Romania.
The draw was made in Sydney on Wednesday morning, with South Africa coming within a whisker of being drawn in Pool A, where Australia had been pre-placed as tournament favourites.
The Boks were in Band 1 alongside the All Blacks, England, Ireland, Argentina and France — the top finishers on the World Rugby rankings for 2025. The draw sequence meant that the top countries were the last to be allocated, and it came down to South Africa and New Zealand to be placed in Pool A with the dangerous Wallabies.
The Rugby World Cup 2027 draw took place earlier on Wednesday. Photo: World Rugby
Image: Supplied
It is the All Blacks who joined Pool A, setting up an appetising opening match for the World Cup in two years’ time — a Bledisloe Cup clash between New Zealand and Australia.
The Springboks know their Pool B opponents well. They played — and convincingly beat — Italy three times in 2025. They also faced Georgia in July in Nelspruit, while Romania were met in a pool game at the 2023 World Cup.
Following the pool matches, the Boks are expected to advance into the “Last 16” knockout phase, a new addition to the World Cup format. After the last 16, the tournament progresses to the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
Pool B should be a relative cruise for the Springboks compared with the “Pool of Death” they navigated at the last World Cup, where they faced tough matches against Ireland, Scotland and Tonga.