World Champion Springboks locked into Pool B for RWC Down Under

The draw was done in Australia on Wednesday, with the 24 participating teams split into four bands according to their world rankings, with the teams randomly selected into the six pools.

The Springboks will face Italy, Georgia and Romania in pool play at the tournament, which will be played at seven different venues across Australia from 1 October to 13 November 2027.

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.

With the pools now confirmed, teams and fans can begin planning their 2027 journey to Australia. The next major milestone will be the announcement of the match schedule on Tuesday, 3 February 2026.

Rugby fans will then have an opportunity to secure seats during an exclusive two-week presale window starting on 18 February 2026.

Rugby World Cup Pools:

Pool A: New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Hong Kong China

Pool B: South Africa, Italy, Georgia, Romania

Pool C: Argentina, Fiji, Spain, Canada

Pool D: Ireland, Scotland, Uruguay, Portugal

Pool E: France, Japan, USA, Samoa

Pool F: England, Wales, Tonga, Zimbabwe

READ MORE: Delayed: Bok legend Eben Etzebeth forced to wait for verdict on suspension