South Africa’s charge toward a third straight Rugby World Cup title has officially begun, and apparently, the universe ordered dejà vu with extra biltong on the side.
The 2027 Rugby World Cup draw, held in Australia on Wednesday, tossed the Springboks into Pool B, where the opponents look less like strangers and more like old drinking buddies who keep showing up uninvited.
Bring on #RWC2027 🇿🇦#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/o9swzfcv9A
— Springboks (@Springboks) December 3, 2025
It’s basically the Rassie Erasmus Reunion Tour:
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Romania, last seen in 1995 and 1999,
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Georgia, who scrummed into Bok memories in 2003,
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and Italy, who popped in for a 2019 visit like a neighbour borrowing sugar (and then losing 49–3).
The rugby gods clearly shrugged and muttered: “Let’s keep it interesting… but not too interesting.”
Still, chasing a three-peat is about as relaxing as trying to execute a behind-the-back offload in a windstorm while three props use you as their stress ball.
And Rassie knows it. Which is why he welcomed the draw with equal parts enthusiasm and veteran caution.
“We are pleased with the pool we have been drawn in, but this is a World Cup, and every team will go out there with great passion and do their utmost to represent their nations with pride,” said Erasmus.
“There have been surprises in the tournament before, so we’ll need to be up mentally and physically for every match.”
Translation: No sleeping. No coasting. No being “that” upset statistic on a Monday morning.
Time to go all out 🤯#RWC2027Draw | #RWC2027 pic.twitter.com/W31h9tVpOK
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) December 3, 2025
Erasmus didn’t stop there. He issued some respectful warnings about Pool B’s cast of characters.
On Italy:
“Italy may be ranked 10th in the world, but they showed us what they are capable of when they hit their straps earlier this season, even though the scorelines may not have reflected that.”
On Georgia and Romania:
“Georgia and Romania are also extremely physical and passionate teams, and we’ve faced them before, so we know how tough they can be on the day if we give them space and opportunities to play to their potential.”
In other words:
Italy can surprise you, Georgia can flatten you, and Romania can hit you hard enough to see next Tuesday.
Familiarity just means more opportunities for chaos.
The Tournament Context: Now With Extra Spice
The Springboks’ pool sits inside a bigger, bolder Rugby World Cup expanded from 20 to 24 teams, with six pools instead of four, and 52 matches in total.
Think of it as the supersized family pack of World Cups: more teams, more drama, more unexpected bench-pressing from Georgian forwards.
Australia will host the extravaganza across seven cities that includes Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle, Sydney and Townsville.
The RWC will take place from 1 October to 13 November 2027. The matchday schedule drops on 3 February 2026, followed by a presale ticket window from 18 February 2026.
Elsewhere in the Draw…
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Pool A: New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Hong Kong China
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Pool B: South Africa, Italy, Georgia, Romania
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Pool C: Argentina, Fiji, Spain, Canada
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Pool D: Ireland, Scotland, Uruguay, Portugal
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Pool E: France, Japan, USA, Samoa
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Pool F: England, Wales, Tonga, Zimbabwe
The new knockout pathway means the winners of Pools A and D face the four best third-placed teams, while Pools E and F get tossed into a different mix entirely.
An epic tournament awaits 🏆#RWC2027 | #RWC2027Draw pic.twitter.com/v6RSuDolkQ
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) December 3, 2025
The Bottom Line
South Africa have drawn a pool that’s familiar enough to feel comfortable but unpredictable enough to keep every fan’s blood pressure pleasantly elevated.
Pool B may not be the dreaded “group of death,” but it’s certainly the “group of polite but punchy guests who absolutely can ruin your evening if you don’t lock up the silverware.”
The journey begins. The banter awaits. And the three-peat dream lives on.
