Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Zimbabwe senior men’s national rugby team, the Sables, will discover their opponents for the 2027 Rugby World Cup on Wednesday, December 3 — the date set by World Rugby for the tournament draw. The Sables secured their place at the global showpiece, which will be hosted in Australia, after winning the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup in Uganda this past July. This marks a historic return to the world stage for Zimbabwe, whose last appearance at the Rugby World Cup was in 1991.
Zimbabwe holds the distinction of being the first African nation to compete at the Rugby World Cup, having featured in the inaugural 1987 edition and again in 1991. However, the team has not qualified for the tournament since then — until now.
Their return to the competition after more than three decades is a significant milestone for Zimbabwean rugby.
In a statement, World Rugby confirmed that the 2027 edition will be the largest in the sport’s history, expanding from 20 to 24 teams. So far, 23 teams have secured qualification. Once the final team is confirmed, all 24 will be seeded based on their World Rugby rankings as of the draw date. The top six teams — currently South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand, France, England and Argentina — will be placed in Band 1. The next six, including Australia, Scotland, Fiji, Italy, Georgia and Wales, will form Band 2. Each pool will consist of one team from each of the four bands.
Zimbabwe, currently ranked 25th in the World Rugby standings, is expected to be placed in Band 4. World Rugby chairperson Brett Robinson expressed excitement about the upcoming draw.
“With only two years until the biggest Men’s Rugby World Cup ever, I’m thrilled to see the tournament draw date revealed. The draw brings the potential match-ups to life, rivalries are set and fans across the globe can envision the unforgettable rugby that awaits.”
The expansion of the tournament has also brought changes to its format. There will now be six pools, each comprising four teams. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the Round of 16, along with the four best third-placed teams. These will be determined first by competition points, followed by points difference and try difference if necessary.
The total number of matches will increase from 48 to 52. Although there are more knockout fixtures, the reduction from five teams per pool to four means each team will play one fewer match in the group stage.
Fans, however, will enjoy four additional games overall. The even number of teams per pool also eliminates the need for any team to sit out a round, making the pool stage shorter and more streamlined. While the 2023 tournament lasted 50 days, the 2027 edition will be condensed into 43 days, promising a more intense and exciting competition without increasing the players’ workload.
Zimbabwe is one of 11 nations to have qualified for the World Cup through regional tournaments such as the Rugby Africa Cup and the Rugby Europe Championship. The other ten are Georgia, Spain, Romania, Portugal, Tonga, Canada, United States of America, Uruguay, Chile and Hong Kong China. These teams join the 12 nations that qualified automatically by finishing in the top three of their pools at the 2023 Rugby World Cup: New Zealand, Italy, Ireland, South Africa, Scotland, Wales, Fiji, Australia, England, Argentina and Japan.
One final qualification spot remains, to be decided in a tournament in Dubai this November. Four teams — Namibia, Belgium, Samoa, and the winner of a playoff between Brazil and Paraguay — will compete for the last place at Rugby World Cup 2027.
– @brandon_malvin
