Wallabies draw All Blacks at 2027 Rugby World Cup
Darren Walton |
The struggling Wallabies have been drawn alongside trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
Unseeded at Wednesday night’s much-anticipated draw in Sydney, Australia were automatically placed in Pool A as tournament hosts.
The three-time world champion All Blacks then lobbed alongside Australia, Chile and Hong Kong China in Pool A.
The Wallabies will play the tournament opener in Perth on October 1, with the spectre of facing their trans-Tasman rivals in a blockbuster start to the 11th ediition of the global showpiece.
The seventh-ranked Wallabies have lost their past 11 Tests against New Zealand stretching back to November 2020.
Huge favourites to beat Chile and Hong Kong China, only the second Asian team ever to qualify for a World Cup, the Wallabies will likely face Eddie Jones’ Japan in the round of 16 if the hosts finish runners-up in their group.
On current rankings, Australia are projected to meet England in the quarter-finals.
In other mouth-watering prospects, South Africa – chasing an unprecedented third straight World Cup triumph – are slated to run into the All Blacks in a heavyweight sudden-death quarter-final.
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
