Springboks set for familiar foes as Rugby World Ccup 2027 pool opponents are confirmed

THE SPRINGBOKS now know the first hurdle standing between them and history. South Africa has been drawn alongside Italy, Georgia, and Romania for the pool stages of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, as the men in green and gold begin their pursuit of an unprecedented third consecutive world title.

The draw, conducted in Australia on Wednesday morning (SA time), sees the defending champions return to battle against familiar World Cup opposition. The Boks previously faced Romania in both the 1995 and 1999 editions, Georgia in 2003, and Italy most recently in the 2019 tournament in Japan.

The field for 2027 expands to 24 teams and six pools, with the top sides and best-performing third-place finishers progressing through a newly structured Round of 16 format. South Africa will feature in Pool B, with hosts Australia grouped alongside New Zealand in Pool A and heavyweights France and England headlining Pools E and F, respectively.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus welcomed the outcome but warned against complacency as the squad builds toward a title defence spanning three continents.

“We are pleased with the pool we have been drawn in, but this is a World Cup, and every team will go out there with great passion and do their utmost to represent their nations with pride,” said Erasmus. “There have been surprises in the tournament before, so we’ll need to be up mentally and physically for every match.”

While Italy sits 10th in the world rankings, Erasmus believes the Europeans are far from predictable.

“Italy may be ranked 10th in the world, but they showed us what they are capable of when they hit their straps earlier this season, even though the scorelines may not have reflected that,” he continued.

He also highlighted the uncompromising physicality of South Africa’s Eastern European challengers. “Georgia and Romania are also extremely physical and passionate teams, and we’ve faced them before, so we know how tough they can be on the day if we give them space and opportunities to play to their potential.”

Expanded tournament, new format

With the competition growing to 24 nations and 52 matches, the World Cup will now unfold across six pools. The winners of Pools A through D will face the four best third-placed finishers, while the winners of Pools E and F meet the runners-up of Pools B and D.

The tournament will run from October 1 to November 13 2027 and be staged across seven Australian cities, including Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle, Sydney, and Townsville. The full match schedule is set for release on February 3 next year.

Fans ready to secure their seats for rugby’s global showpiece will have access to a two-week exclusive presale window beginning on February 18.

Rugby World Cup 2027 Pools

Pool A: New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Hong Kong China

Pool B: South Africa, Italy, Georgia, Romania

Pool C: Argentina, Fiji, Spain, Canada

Pool: D: Ireland, Scotland, Uruguay, Portugal

Pool E: France, Japan, USA, Samoa

Pool F: England, Wales, Tonga, Zimbabwe

South Africa will enter the event not only as defending champions but also as the first team in history chasing a third consecutive title. Their journey begins in familiar company, but the goal remains unmatched territory.