Captain Siya Kolisi lifts the Webb Ellis trophy after the Boks won the Rugby World Cup 2023 final against New Zealand in Saint-Denis, France, on 28 October 2023. (Photo: EPA / Yoan Valat) 
The Springboks are on a collision course with the All Blacks at the quarterfinal stage of Rugby World Cup 2027 after the draw was made in Sydney on Wednesday, 3 December 2025.
The Boks were drawn in Pool B alongside Romania, Georgia and Italy. New Zealand are the top-seeded team in Pool A, where they will meet hosts Australia in the opening game of the tournament in Perth.
It’s the first time in RWC history that New Zealand and Australia have been drawn together in the pool stage.
Hong Kong China and Chile complete Pool A, but it’s clear the top two teams in that pool will be the All Blacks and the Wallabies.
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The winner of Pool A meets the winner of Pool B in the quarterfinals, assuming both come through the new step of a round of 16, which for the big guns is a formality.
That puts the Boks and All Blacks on an early collision course with both favourites to top their pools and come through the round of 16.
It would be a repeat of the final of RWC 2023, when the Boks famously won 12-11. If it happens, it would also be a repeat of the quarterfinal in 2003 — the last time Australia hosted the tournament — when the All Blacks beat the Boks 29-9.
/file/attachments/orphans/2235285503_172053.jpg "Bok lock RG Snyman breaks away for a try during The Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks in Wellington earlier this year. (Photo: Hagen Hopkins / Getty Images)")
The Wallabies could cause an upset and beat the All Blacks in the opening match of the tournament, thus putting themselves in line to meet the Boks in the last eight.
But it’s more likely that the two RWC 2023 finalists are going to face off in the quarters.
If the they meet in the play-offs, it would mean a seventh meeting between the teams in a 24-month period. The Boks and All Blacks collide in a four-Test series in September 2026 followed by two Rugby Championship clashes in 2027. They will certainly know their opponents well by the time RWC 2027 rolls around.
/file/attachments/2985/1napArtboard1card_905865_18803abefdfd5c39857dc2fc472c8f99.jpg "RWC 2027 draw.")
For the opening game, the loser’s path actually looks easier. The Pool A runners-up are set to meet the winner of Pool F (England) in the quarterfinals, assuming both make it through the round of 16.
At this stage, would you rather face the Springboks or England at the quarterfinal stage?
/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-1185015571_859339.jpg "Pyrotechnics explode as Siya Kolisi lifts the Webb Ellis Cup following his team’s final victory over England in the Rugby World Cup 2019 on 2 November 2019 in Yokohama. (Photo: Cameron Spencer / Getty Images)")
Familiar
While the draw is tough for the Boks, they’re in familiar territory having come through France, England and New Zealand in the knockout stages of RWC 2023.
The Boks have faced all three of their pool opponents in Rugby World Cups before — Romania in 1995 and 1999, Georgia in 2003 and Italy in 2019.
Bok coach Rassie Erasmus declined to look beyond the pool stages and a potential All Blacks quarterfinal showdown.
“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,” Erasmus said. “There have been surprises in the tournament before, so we’ll need to be up mentally and physically for every match.”
He added: “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.
“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.”
Assuming the Boks top Pool B in 2027, which they should if it were played tomorrow, they will meet the best third-placed team from Pool D, E, or F.
The tournament would really get serious from the quarterfinal stage. And even if the Boks got through a last-eight clash against the All Blacks (or Australia) the seedings suggest, their semi-final opponents could be France.
/file/attachments/orphans/2246544303_573608.jpg "The Boks could meet France in the semi-finals of RWC 2027. Here Jesse Kriel evades French players Louis Bielle Biarrey and Hugo Auradou at Stade de France on 8 November 2025. (Photo: Jean Catuffe / Getty Images)")
Les Bleus should top Pool E alongside Samoa, Japan and the USA. If they do, they face a potentially tricky Round of 16 game against Pool D runners-up, which on current rankings is Scotland.
In a quirk of the new 24-team format, France (Pool E winners), would face the runners-up of either Pool C or Pool F in the quarters — either Fiji, Wales or Tonga.
England, drawn in Pool F with Wales, Tonga and Zimbabwe, appear to have a straightforward passage to the semi-finals.
The winners of Pool F will not face another pool winner until the semi-finals. England could not have asked for a kinder draw.
On seeding, England are set to meet Italy in the last 16 and Australia in the quarterfinals.
Ireland will face familiar foes in Scotland along with Uruguay and Portugal in Pool D, with their hopes of finally breaking their quarterfinal curse likely to rest on their ability to beat Argentina in the last eight.
The Pumas will play Fiji, Spain and Canada in Pool C.
The tournament will take place in seven cities around Australia from 1 October to 13 November 2027, and features six pools of four teams and a new round of 16. DM
Pool A
Australia
Hong Kong China
Chile
New Zealand
Pool B
Romania
Georgia
Italy
South Africa
Pool C
Canada
Spain
Fiji
Argentina
Pool D
Portugal
Uruguay
Scotland
Ireland
Pool E
Samoa
USA
Japan
France
Pool F
Zimbabwe
Tonga
Wales
England