SYDNEY — They face a massive challenge just to do so given their recent record regardless, but the question as to whether the Wallabies really do want to beat the All Blacks in their blockbuster Pool A clash at Rugby World Cup 2027 was the biggest takeaway from the tournament’s draw on Wednesday night.
While there was little fanfare to the proceedings in Sydney – the draw was done in host broadcaster Channel 9’s studio with no crowd or external media involved – it did boil to a mouth-watering crescendo which quickly had fans scrambling for the knock-out format.
Just when and where the Wallabies-All Blacks pool game will be staged is, at this stage, unknown, but it didn’t take a mathematical genius nor a rugby guru to quickly discover that whoever wins that clash will likely find themselves in a blockbuster quarterfinal against the Springboks a fortnight later.
With the winner of Pool B – containing South Africa, Italy, Georgia and Romania – set to face the winner of Pool A in the quarterfinals, it is extremely likely that one of the Springboks, All Blacks or Wallabies will be going home early from Rugby World Cup 2027.
Barring a stunning upset in either the pool phase or Round of 16, Wednesday night’s draw delivered the sensational package of two potential tantalising quarterfinal clashes, representing both a promoter’s dream and the host nation’s worst nightmare, in a matter of seconds.
“We’re obviously stoked to get the All Blacks, a team we love [playing], a team we [play] quite a lot, so to get them in the showpiece event, first game, it’s really exciting,” Wallabies captain Harry Wilson said when asked how he felt being drawn alongside the All Blacks.
“In a World Cup, you’ve got to beat the best teams, and they’re obviously one of the best teams in the world, so we’ve got them first up.”
While there is a strong chance the Wallabies and All Blacks may open the tournament in Perth on Oct. 1, 2027, as Wilson says, they could also be shifted to the final game of Pool A.
When it was put to him that, by defeating the All Blacks, the Wallabies would then likely face the Springboks — providing Australia negotiated a Round of 16 game against a country ranked outside the top 10 — Wilson said his team wouldn’t shy away from any opposition.
“If you beat the All Blacks it will give your team a lot of confidence that you can beat anyone on your day,” he said. “Obviously there are a lot of potential paths you go down, but the Springboks in a quarterfinal would be exciting and it’s a challenge we’re going to be ready for.”
The Wallabies have, as Wilson says, proven that at their best they can beat anyone on their day. Well almost anyone, the All Blacks aside. So while Australia can look to their stunning drought-breaking victory over the Springboks in Johannesburg this year as a reason not to fear the defending champions, defeat by New Zealand, to whom they have dropped their last 11 Tests, might actually work in Australia’s favour.
Such a result would likely put them on a collision course with Eddie Jones’ Japan in the Round of 16, before England would then loom in what would be another mouth-watering quarterfinal matchup given Australia’s World Cup history with the Auld Enemy.
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The Wallabies were soundly beaten by England last month, but last year produced what was then the standout performance of the Joe Schmidt era to stun Steve Borthwick’s side in the final minute at Twickenham.
England have since improved dramatically, winning 11 Tests in a row, moving up to No. 3 on the world rankings as a result, suggesting there will be no “easier” path to the final four for Australia at their home tournament.
But faced with the prospect of battling the two-time defending champions in the quarters, or a nation that has only one Webb Ellis crown to its name, it may be that England represent the more favoured quarterfinal opponent.
And as the last two tournaments have shown, losing a pool game does not mean you can’t go on and win the Rugby World Cup, with the Springboks overcoming a defeat by New Zealand [2019] and Ireland [2023] to then only weeks later stand behind skipper Siya Kolisi as he hoisted the Webb Ellis Trophy.
“Yeah, it wasn’t too different last World Cup with New Zealand,” outgoing Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said, when asked about how the pools had fallen on Wednesday night. “You were either going to play South Africa in a quarterfinal or Ireland in a quarterfinal [in 2023], and either way, it was going to be really tough.
“So if you’re going to get into a final or into even a semifinal, you’re going to have to beat good teams to get there. So, as I said, I wouldn’t plot a path for sure, but you’ve got to be aware of who you’re likely to meet. And I think the advantage of that is you know South Africa really well.”
Regardless of what lies ahead, the Wallabies won’t have anything but victory on their minds when they step out against the All Blacks in just under two years’ time. Arresting a poor head-to-head Bledisloe record dating back to 2020 must be the focus in the meantime.
