While many fans in the UK focus on club season-opening performances or discuss forthcoming fall test matches, the contest for 2027 Rugby World Cup qualification continues at full pace.
Chile earned their second consecutive appearance at the competition with a sensational qualifying win over Samoa last month, leaving one remaining spot up for grabs for Australia by 2027. Meanwhile, the Paraguayan side stunned Brazil 39-19 in the first leg of their playoff.
The return match is scheduled on Saturday in Jacareí, close to São Paulo, while Brazil's squad aims to follow their women's success and qualify for the first occasion.
Regardless of Paraguay completes a surprise aggregate win, or Brazil recovers following manager Emiliano Caffera's departure, the lineup for November's qualifying event in Dubai will be confirmed. Namibia, the Belgian squad, and Samoa have already secured spots for the Middle Eastern competition from November 8th to 18th.
Many additional teams have likewise secured their spots. The Hong Kong China team achieved maiden qualification after beating Korea by a large margin in the summer, while Zimbabwe will return to the sport's most prestigious stage for the first occasion in over three decades by virtue of claiming victory in the Rugby Africa Cup.
The consequence of Chile's qualifying triumph ensures that Los Condores will play against Italy for the first occasion next month during the autumn internationals, taking the place of Samoa who must participate in Dubai.
The global governing body's chief executive described Chile an "exciting and fast-emerging power" in announcing the upcoming match in the Italian city. As local the sport promotional efforts aim for increased attendance, Chilean rugby is thriving. A sell-out audience of over 20,000 witnessed the playoff victory in Viña del Mar, and manager the national coach has guided the team on an improving path since taking over in recent years.
The 50-year-old former Uruguay international prop has been making an impact for many years: recruited by the English club in the late 90s, he memorably ran straight through England defensive line to touch down at the 2003 global tournament.
His impact as head coach has been similarly significant: Chile have climbed to seventeenth place, their highest-ever position. At the last World Cup in France, they were defeated four times, conceding over two hundred points and scoring 27, featuring a heavy loss against the English team.
However, they proudly found the positives, and after the 2027 draw in Sydney on 3 December, the coach can start preparations seriously. They hosted Scotland last year, defeated by a significant margin in front of 24,000 supporters, and although they were defeated over two legs by the Uruguayan side in the first qualifying round, they achieved a narrow away victory in the Uruguayan capital.
The Samoan team, meanwhile, have not missed every World Cup since 1991, but are presently languishing in 16th position in the men's rankings. They were winless in the recent Pacific Nations Cup, resulting in qualifying disappointment versus Chile, and the requirement to meet teams like Belgium brings additional difficulty for the rugby-loving country.
Apart from specific teams' performances, it is worth noting how different the larger tournament will appear in 2027. For the first occasion, there will be a knockout stage with six groups of four teams rather than four groups of five teams. Pool-stage risk is significantly reduced because the four best third-placed teams will also qualify.
The organizers, the Australian team, are currently placed seventh in the global rankings, meaning they would miss out on a top seed and could face one of South Africa, the All Blacks, the Irish, the French, England, or Argentina in Pool A. They could climb into the highest seeds during a packed autumn schedule, though: England, Italy, the Irish squad, and the French team are their fixtures, with a game against Japan in the capital additionally planned for 25 October.
The Welsh team, meanwhile, are teetering in 12th, with the Japanese side behind, and the consequences of falling to thirteenth and into pot three are possibly significant.
Another fresh aspect for the next World Cup is the presence of five nations from the Americas: Argentina, Uruguay, the United States, Canada, and Chile – with Paraguay or Brazil possibly becoming the sixth. From World Rugby's viewpoint, engagement from the Americas is positive, particularly with the 2031 World Cup set to be hosted by the United States, and the selection process for the 2035 tournament was launched recently.
First things first, however. The return match of Brazil versus Paraguay sets up a four-team Dubai shootout, combined with a potential standings change throughout the European nations in the coming month. Regardless of how things pan out, Chile's qualification for a second consecutive World Cup has already established them as a clear success story.
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