PREDICTIONS: Which teams will be in the mix at World Cup 2027
World Cup 2027 is being billed as the biggest tournament in the sport’s history, with 24 teams battling it out for the Webb Ellis Cup in Australia, from October 1 to November 13.
South Africa, the back-to-back champions and four-time winners, are the bookmakers’ fancied team – ahead of France, New Zealand and England,
Teams like Ireland (who have never gone beyond the quarterfinals in the previous 10 editions), Australia (winners in 1991 and 1999) and Argentina are the ‘dark horses’.
The likes of Scotland (33/1), Fiji (50/1), Wales (100/1) and Italy (150/1) are the rank outsiders.
However, as we know, the results don’t always follow the script.
@JanDKrugby chatted to an expert, France’s Springbok kicking coach Vlok Cilliers, to get an insight into what the picture might look like on November 13 next year.
Listing the teams that he feels will be in the mix in the play-offs is headlined by the Springboks.
“The All Blacks will be there,” Cilliers said
“Ireland will be there,” he said of the team with the dreaded ‘chokers’ tag.
“We [France] can be there,” he said of the just-crowned back-to-back Six Nations champions, who reached three finals and six semifinals.
“England can also be there, and Argentina.
“Those are the top six teams, who will be very dangerous.”
He said he was not discarding the hosts, Australia, they are ‘not shooting out the lights’ at this stage.
“They are at home,” Cilliers said, adding: “Maybe they can improve with a better coach.”
* (Article continues below ….)
The question of Ireland’s failure to get past the quarterfinals was also raised, and he compared them to the South African (Proteas) cricket team, which is also famous for choking in major internationals.
“I know Ireland is a good team, and they have that record of playing well until they get to the quarterfinals.
“It is so difficult to predict now how teams will perform.
“Scotland can do well and upset the apple cart.
“It is going to be a very interesting World Cup.
“Several teams will have ‘old’ players, with a mix of youngsters.
“If teams can find that balance between the senior and younger players, while you need to have depth and cover for injuries.
“The Springboks, All Blacks, us [France] and England have a lot of depth and a bigger pool of players.
“That is very important.”
Australia will get things underway in the opening game at Perth Stadium on October 1.
In previous tournaments, dating back to the 2003 World Cup, World Rugby has traditionally had 20 teams divided into four pools of five teams. The top two teams from each pool would then progress to the quarterfinals, which were the first round of the knockouts.
At Australia 2027, there will be 24 teams, and therefore the tournament requires a new format and one big change: a Round of 16 as the first knockout game.
What is the format?
There will now be six pools with four teams in each. The top two teams from each pool will progress to the Round of 16, while the four best third-place teams will also progress. Those four teams will be determined by competition points first, and if that doesn’t separate the sides, then points difference and try difference will be the next factors used, respectively, to determine which teams make it out of the pool stage.
While there are more knockout matches, the change from five teams in each pool to four has meant one fewer match for each team in the pool stage.
For example, when South Africa won the World Cup 2023, they played seven games: four games in the pool stage, a quarterfinal, a semifinal and a Final. If they were to reach the Final of World Cup 2027, they would still only play seven games: three games in the pool stage, then Round of 16, a quarterfinal, a semifinal and a Final.
Having an even number of teams in each pool means no team has to sit out a round while the others play each other.
So, despite adding four extra teams, the pool stage is now in fact shorter.
While the World Cup 2023 lasted 50 days, the World Cup 2027 will take place over 43 days (six weeks). It will therefore be a more condensed and exciting tournament, without adding to the players’ workload.
@JanDKrugby
@rugby365com
* Related
