Why All Blacks will hope for Pool E at Rugby World Cup 2027 draw in Sydney

Wednesday, 3 December 2025

ANALYSIS: It was 2005 and 2015 when Dan Carter was remembered for his most significant rugby moments, and now another decade later the All Blacks will hope his presence can produce another piece of magic at the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw in Sydney.

The legendary first-five will be one of the presenters at Wednesday night’s (10pm NZ time) event, alongside recently-retired Wallabies prop James Slipper, Olympic sevens gold medal-winner Alicia Lucas, and World Rugby chair Brett Robinson, as the 24 qualified teams learn their fate for the 2027 tournament across the ditch.

And with the new format for the World Cup proving messy, and skewed, there will be decided benefits to be had, with All Blacks coach Scott Robertson sure to be cheering on Pool E as the destination for his side as they are slotted into one of the six groups, where the Wallaby hosts have already been given a leg-up.

The reality is, given this revised configuration of the tournament, which sees the introduction of an extra knockout phase in a round of 16, there will be little interest amongst the big guns about who they are grouped with, and rather more focus on which section of the draw they land.

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It comes as World Rugby expands the global showpiece from 20 teams (at the last seven editions) to 24, which sees the return of Spain, Zimbabwe, the United States, Canada, and a first-ever appearance for Hong Kong China (Namibia being the only side not returning from the 2023 tournament in France).

While it gives more teams an opportunity on the biggest stage, it has taken away the tidy four-pools-of-five format where the top two in each would advance to the quarterfinals.

Instead of making four pools of six, and lengthening the group stage, it has instead been cut, by making six pools of four, with the top two in each, plus the four best third-placed outfits, advancing to the newly-introduced round-of-16.

Despite the tournament now featuring a total of 52 matches, up from the 48 at the last six editions, teams will still only play a maximum of seven times, and still have a minimum five days between fixtures, but the event will be reduced from seven weeks to six (seven weekends), running from October 1 to November 13.

The current world rankings will dictate how the pools are filled, with one from each band of six teams to be randomly drawn into each group.

It means the All Blacks avoid being grouped with fellow top-six outfits South Africa, England, Ireland, France or Argentina.

From band two they will have one of Australia, Fiji, Scotland, Italy, Wales or Japan for company, which will, potentially, give them one decent test.

In addition to that, from band three, they could get a first-ever clash with Spain or Chile. Otherwise it’ll be Georgia, Uruguay, the United States or Tonga.

From band four there are also a couple of potential maiden clashes, with Hong Kong China or Zimbabwe. If not, Samoa, Portugal, Romania or Canada will be there.

But it’s the new round of 16 where things get interesting, with some notable imbalances to potentially boil to the surface.

While an extra bout of knockout footy should in theory make for more excitement, many of those eight games are set to be lopsided affairs, given a quarter of those sides involved sit No 13 or below in the world rankings.

The winners of Pools A, B, C and D will get to play third-ranked teams in that round of 16, but, crucially, they would then be in line to meet each other in the quarterfinals.

That means the very real chance that only two of the world’s currently top-four ranked teams (the Springboks, All Blacks, England and Ireland) making it to the semifinals.

On the other hand, while Pool E and F winners have to play pool runners-up (D and B, respectively) in the round of 16, they are guaranteed to not face a pool winner until the semifinals.

Additionally, should the 16.67% chance play out that the All Blacks draw Pool E, they would likely be in line for a quarterfinal against a team which they have never lost to before, or, in the case of Wales, not since 1953.

That comes as the Wallabies, as hosts, have already been guaranteed to play in Pool A.

It’s a contentious move, and will be seen as home-town advantage, given it’s one of the pools where the runner-up (likely to be the Aussies) does not have to face a pool winner in the round of 16.

Rugby World Cup 2027 seedings

Band 1: South Africa, New Zealand, England, Ireland, France, Argentina

Band 2: Australia, Fiji, Scotland, Italy, Wales, Japan

Band 3: Georgia, Spain, Uruguay, USA, Chile, Tonga

Band 4: Samoa, Portugal, Romania, Hong Kong China, Zimbabwe, Canada

One team from each band to be placed in each pool (Australia locked into Pool A as hosts).

Round of 16:

1. Pool A winner v Pool C/E/F best 3rd

2. Pool B winner v Pool D/E/F best 3rd

3. Pool C runner-up v Pool F runner-up

4. Pool E winner v Pool D runner-up

5. Pool A runner-up v Pool E runner-up

6. Pool F winner v Pool B runner-up

7. Pool C winner v Pool A/E/F best 3rd

8. Pool D winner v Pool B/E/F best 3rd

Quarterfinals:

1. Game 1 winner v Game 2 winner

2. Game 3 winner v Game 4 winner

3. Game 5 winner v Game 6 winner

4. Game 7 winner v Game 8 winner

Semifinals:

1. QF 1 winner v QF 2 winner

2. QF 3 winner v QF 4 winner

Final:

SF 1 winner v SF 2 winner