Defending champions South Africa are grouped with Italy, Georgia and Romania as World Rugby unveils the full pool lineup for the expanded 24-team tournament.
South Africa (04 December 2025) – As the countdown to the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia begins, South African fans are already asking the big question: can the Springboks pull off an unprecedented three-peat? Having lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in 2019 and again in 2023, the Boks now begin their long road toward attempting back-to-back-to-back world titles.
And yesterday, that journey officially took shape.
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World Rugby has confirmed the six pools for the expanded 24-team tournament. The largest Rugby World Cup in history. For the first time, teams will compete across six pools of four, a new format aimed at growing the global game and making it more accessible for fans worldwide.
The defending champions headline Pool B, where they will face Italy, Georgia and Romania. The structure means that the top two teams in each pool, along with the four best third-placed teams, will progress to the Round of 16.
If South Africa top their pool and win their Round of 16 match, they will meet the winners of Pool A in the quarterfinals.
Full 2027 Rugby World Cup 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
With the pools now set, teams, coaches and supporters can begin plotting their route through the tournament. The next big moment arrives on Tuesday, 3 February 2026, when the full match schedule is released.
Sources: World Rugby
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