The rugby gods have a wicked sense of humour. The Wallabies learnt their path to the Rugby World Cup final in Sydney. The host nation was paired with their Bledisloe Cup rivals in the group stage for the first time in World Cup history.
The draw pairs the Wallabies with the All Blacks in Pool A. Rounding out the group are Chile and Hong Kong China, making their first-time appearance. Seeded outside the top six rankings, the Wallabies are on a collision course with 2003 winners England in the quarter finals if they finish second in the group behind the All Blacks.
The Wallabies have not played New Zealand at the Rugby World Cup since the 2015 final at Twickenham. New Zealand won the title with a 34-17 win that day, and there’s the chance that these two World Cup winners could play the opening fixture of the tournament, at Optus Stadium in Perth on October 1st.
The expanded draw has created some interesting match-ups in the last 16. Should the Wallabies upset the All Blacks, then they would be tested against the defending champs, the Springboks, in the quarter-finals. While unlikely on current form, a loss will see the Wallabies on the opposite side of the draw for the knockout stages of the tournament.
There was a familiar feel to the group for the host nation. The Wallabies will chance their arm against another South American side for the fifth time at the pool stages after Argentina (1991 and 2003) and Uruguay (2015 and 2019).
Wallabies captain Harry Wilson was optimistic about the Wallabies' chances in the 2027 tournament.
“It’s really exciting, as an Australian you always want to verse New Zealand, and as the opening game of a World Cup, nothing’s better than that,” said Wilson.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt loved the idea of opening the tournament with the traditional Trans-Tasman rivalry in Perth.
“It would immediately excite players. It would excite all the fans. You’re likely to get an influx coming across the Tasman and you’re going to get great support,” said Schmidt.
“The Western Force are out there. The Perth locals they really do know how to get along and support a Test match. I think it would be a great way to kick it off.”
The Wallabies mentor noted that the draw has opened the door to some traditional rivals meeting at the pool stages of the tournament, something that he thinks both the fans and players will love.
“There’s a lot of match-ups like England vs Wales, Ireland vs Scotland… a lot of clumps that are going to be teams that know each other and play each other often.
“The All Blacks will be looking at Australia and thinking, well, at least we’re going to know who we’re up against. We’re going to know them almost personally. And it’s a trans-Tasman battle, which I think both teams are going to love having.”
The draw has the potential for the Springboks, All Blacks and France to meet prior to the final in Sydney. Meaning one of the top two sides will be leaving the tournament earlier than expected. As things stand, France could face a rampant Fiji side in the quarter-finals.
The next twelve months will be critical for the Wallabies. Queensland Reds mentor Les Kiss will step into the top job, taking over from Joe Schmidt. While injuries and fatigue crippled the Wallabies 2025 northern tour, the Wallabies will be quietly confident of performing on rugby’s biggest stage. The last time Australia hosted the Rugby World Cup, they were only denied in the 2003 final thanks to the individual brilliance of Wilkinson. They have the potential to cause some major upsets in 2027.