Two Western Hemisphere countries will battle it out as pool opponents at Rugby World Cup 2027. Argentina and Canada have been drawn in Pool C for the Australia hosted Men’s Rugby World Cup.
The pool also contains Fiji and Spain, drawn from Band 2 and 3 respectively. The outcome of the draw will be welcomed with open arms by both Argentina and Canada as well as Fiji and Spain. Canada will be happier facing Spain than some of the Band 3 alternatives, notably Georgia, while Fiji is a less daunting prospect compared to facing the Wallabies in their home tournament in Australia.
Pool C is a worldwide pool with countries from four different continents. It is also a group with 50% Spanish-speaking countries. ARN sincerely hopes that World Rugby do the right thing by preparing correctly so as to have the match officiated in Spanish. Either Chilean Frank Méndez and Uruguayan Francisco González would be well suited to handle the assignment.
| CANADIAN EYES PLOT PATHWAY |
Rugby World Cup 2027 will be the eleventh edition of the Men’s Rugby World Cup. It will be the second hosted entirely in Australia and the third overall involving matches in the country. Canada return after failing to qualify for Rugby World Cup 2023. Spain played in 1999 and Fiji in every tournament aside from 1995. In other words, of the four Pool C competitors only Argentina has competed at every Men’s Rugby World Cup.
Canada fell to a 24-23 loss against Spain this past July. It was the fourth test match between the Canadians and Los Leones. The inaugural fixture was a 60-22 Canadian triumph in Madrid in 2010. The teams have never met at a Men’s Rugby World Cup.
Fiji were too strong for Canada in the recent Pacific Nations Cup (PNC). Fiji were 63-10 winners. Canada last defeated Fiji in 2013 with a 20-18 victory in North America. The teams have crossed paths at past Men’s Rugby World Cups with Fiji winning in 1999 and 2007. On the flip side, Canada’s 13-3 win over Fiji at Rugby World Cup 1991 is an all-time Canadian Rugby high.
Canada will now begin plotting a pathway to get out of the pool. The top two of each group and four runners-up will reach the Round-of-16.
 ARGENTINA PREPARE FOR FRESH OPPONENTS |
Fiji are three time Quarter Finalists at Rugby World Cups while Argentina are three-time Semi Finalists. Los Pumas are the top-ranked team in the Pool and are positioned as favorites to win the group. The match against Fiji will end a very long wait. The teams last played each other in 2003 in Córdoba during the Rugby World Cup warm-ups.
International competition between Argentina and Fiji began in 1980. Los Pumas won home test matches 34-22 and 38-16 in Buenos Aires. Fiji claimed revenge in the inaugural Rugby World Cup with a 28-9 win in Hamilton, New Zealand. Remarkably, it was the only time the teams faced-off in a Rugby World Cup. The next meeting was the aforementioned match in Córdoba in 2003.
2003 is also the last tine Argentina faced Canada in a fully-capped test match. Los Pumas won 62-22 in Buenos Aires. Canada and the Argentina XV met from 2016-2019 in the Americas Rugby Championship (ARC) in uncapped matches.
Spain’s only prior Men’s Rugby World Cup saw matches against Scotland, South Africa and Uruguay in 1999. They controversially missed Rugby World Cup 2023 but did play against Argentina in a Rugby World Cup 2023 warm-up match. Los Pumas were 62-3 winners.
 RUGBY WORLD CUP 2027 – POOL C |
ARGENTINA
FIJI
SPAIN
CANADA
| RUGBY WORLD CUP 2027 – POOLS |
| RUGBY WORLD CUP 2027 – KNOCK-OUT STAGES |
