As numerous fans in the UK focus on their clubs' early-season performances or discuss upcoming autumn internationals, the contest for 2027 Rugby World Cup qualifying continues unabated.
Chile earned their second consecutive spot at the competition with a stunning qualifying win against Samoa last month, leaving only a single place left up for grabs for the host nation in two years. Meanwhile, the Paraguayan side stunned Brazil by twenty points in the first leg of their playoff.
The second leg is scheduled on Saturday in the Brazilian city, near São Paulo, while Brazil's squad attempts to emulate their women's success and qualify for the first occasion.
Regardless of Paraguay completes a shock overall win, or Brazil recovers after head coach Emiliano Caffera's departure, the participants for November's Dubai qualification tournament will be confirmed. The Namibian team, Belgium, and the Samoan side are already confirmed their places for the Middle Eastern competition from November 8th to 18th.
Several additional nations have likewise earned their spots. Hong Kong China sealed first-time World Cup entry after beating Korea 70-22 in July, while the Zimbabwean squad will make a comeback to the sport's premier tournament for the first time in over three decades after claiming victory in the African championship.
The consequence of Chile's playoff success means that Los Condores will play against Italy for the first time in November during the fall test series, replacing Samoa who must participate in Dubai.
World Rugby's CEO described Chile an "exciting and rapidly rising force" in announcing the forthcoming match in Genoa. As domestic rugby markets seek larger crowds, rugby in Chile is thriving. A sell-out audience of more than twenty thousand saw the qualifying win in Viña del Mar, and manager the national coach has led the team on an upward trajectory since his appointment in recent years.
The fifty-year-old ex- Uruguayan prop has been influencing the game for many years: signed by the English club in the late 90s, he famously broke through England defensive line to touch down at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
His impact as national coach has been equally powerful: Chile have climbed to 17th, their highest-ever ranking. At the previous tournament in Europe, they were defeated in all matches, conceding over two hundred points and scoring twenty-seven, including a heavy loss against the English team.
However, they confidently found the positives, and following the 2027 draw in Australia on December 3rd, Lemoine can begin planning in earnest. They faced the Scottish team last year, defeated by a significant margin in front of twenty-four thousand fans, and while they were defeated across two legs by Uruguay in the first 2027 playoff, they managed a narrow away victory in the Uruguayan capital.
Samoa, meanwhile, have not missed all Rugby World Cup since 1991, but are currently languishing in sixteenth place in the global rankings. They were winless in this year's Pacific Nations Cup, resulting in qualifying disappointment versus Chile, and the need to face nations such as Belgium adds further difficulty for the rugby-loving country.
Beyond specific teams' performances, it is worth noting how different the larger tournament will appear in 2027. For the first occasion, there will be a round of 16 with six groups of four teams rather than four pools of five. Group phase jeopardy is much lower because the top four third-place sides will additionally advance.
The hosts, the Australian team, are now ranked seventh in the world, meaning they would miss out on a top seed and might meet either South Africa, the All Blacks, Ireland, France, the English, or Argentina in their group. They could rise into the highest seeds during a busy November, however: the English team, the Italian side, Ireland, and the French team are their opponents, with a match against the Japanese team in Tokyo additionally planned for 25 October.
Wales, on the other hand, are balanced in twelfth place, with the Japanese side behind, and the consequences of falling to 13th and into pot three are possibly significant.
Another fresh aspect for the next World Cup is the presence of five nations from the Americas: Argentina, the Uruguayan side, the United States, Canada, and Chile – with either Paraguay or Brazil possibly becoming the sixth. From World Rugby's viewpoint, engagement from the Americas is beneficial, especially with the 2031 World Cup scheduled to be hosted by the United States, and the selection process for the 2035 edition was initiated recently.
First things first, though. The return match of Brazil v Paraguay prepares a four-team Dubai shootout, along with a potential rankings shake-up throughout Europe in November. Regardless of the outcome, Chile's qualification for a second Rugby World Cup has already established them as a clear triumphant example.
A forward-thinking business strategist with over a decade of experience in market analysis and digital transformation, passionate about empowering entrepreneurs.
New
New