The 2027 Rugby World Cup will take place across seven cities in Australia with the final being held in the iconic Accor Stadium in Sydney. The tournament, which takes place every four years, is set to kick off on the 1st of October and last for six weeks until the final on the 13th of November. The competition will be bigger than ever, hosting 24 nations from across the globe with six pools of four teams. In this article we’ll look at our top tipped teams for 2027 World Cup victory.
Teams to Watch
The 2027 Rugby World Cup will be the biggest ever featuring four more teams than the previous cups. Let’s look at some of the top teams with a chance of lifting the Cup in 2027.
#1 New Zealand’s All Blacks
The All Blacks are at the top of many people’s and bookmakers’ list to watch out for at the 2027 World Cup. In their previous effort, they made it to the final coming within a single point of defeating the champions, South Africa. Their form as the most successful team in Rugby World Cup history, with 49 wins, three titles and a win rate over 77%, speaks for itself².
As the nation’s most popular sport, strong foundations for new generations of talent are firmly established in New Zealand, leading to better player development. Leagues across the nation are structured to ensure players consistently get competitive match experience. Kiwi icons of the sport, like Aaron Smith and Jonah Lomu, have had a global impact on rugby, inspiring new talent.
Innovative Game, Tactical Skills and Intense Attacking Game
As well as incredible stand-out players, the All Blacks are known for their innovative game, using expansive play and tactical skills to overcome their opponents³. Their intense attacking game has earned them admirers around the world.
For Kiwis, the All Blacks are a national symbol of pride. Rugby is not just a game, but part of culture in New Zealand. Every rugby fan will recognise the intimidating Haka, a Māori chant performed before every match. The intensity of every All Black performance makes them top of the list to watch at the 2027 World Cup.
#2 French Les Bleus
The second team on our list is France. Although they’ve never won a World Cup, France have been in three finals and boast the best record of any European team with a 69% win rate. In March 2025 they emerged as champions in their seventh Six Nations win and in 2024 their Rugby Sevens team took gold at their home Olympics. In their Six Nations campaign they shattered records with thirty tries in five games and scored an incredible 218 points in total, the second most ever.
As France builds on their winning momentum, could 2027 be their year to win the World Cup?
Les Bleus’ Legend: Rugby’s All-Time Star
Of course, we can’t discuss France without mentioning Antoine Dupont, arguably the greatest rugby player of all time. Dupont’s skills as a scrum-half are currently unmatched with 20 try assists and 20 turnovers in the Six Nations. Before Dupont joined France’s Rugby Sevens Olympic team in early 2024, the nation wasn’t in with a chance of winning a medal, let alone gold. After the news he would miss the Six Nations to play in the Olympics, France entered as joint favourites.
Dupont also holds the record for the most try assists in a single game with a stunning seven assists at Twickenham in 2023⁴. However, he missed out on completing France’s winning Six Nations campaign after suffering a cruciate ligament injury against Ireland in Round 4.
On the 24th of March, Dupont had surgery for his injuries which also included medial meniscus and collateral ligament damage. France will be hoping their talisman is fit in order to stand a strong chance of going one better at the 2027 World Cup.
#3 South Africa’s Springboks
South Africans are ranked as second favourites across many bookmakers to lift the Cup following their victorious campaigns in successive World Cups in 2019 and 2023. The Springboks consistently raise their game for big tournaments, led by their captain Siya Kolisi who has been hailed ‘the best captain rugby has ever produced’⁵. His leadership on and off the field, has earned him accolades such as South African of the Year, in 2023.
Possible Concern – The Aging Team
The big problem for South Africa in 2027 will be their aging team. A number of big players from their last victory seem unlikely to return, including Eben Etzebeth, Bongi Mbonambi and Malcolm Marx. Other key players are also reaching their mid to late thirties, leaving coach Rassie Erasmus in limbo. Erasmus might decide to continue on with the old-guard, risking injury and being outpaced. Alternatively, he could look to new talent who have never been tested at the World Cup level.
South Africa remain ones to watch at what could be a somewhat explorative World Cup for the Springboks.
#4 Ireland
Ireland will be looking to put in a stronger performance than they did in this year’s Six Nations, where they finished third. They were holders of the Six Nations title after winning consecutively in 2023 and 2024, but their hopes of a hat-trick shattered after being beaten 27-42 by France.
Throughout the Six Nations, Ireland struggled to convert dominant possession into points, a problem which has haunted the nation’s recent performances. If new talent, such as fly-half Jack Crowley, can gain more experience before the 2027 World Cup and figure out how to convert possession to points, Ireland could be a real threat.
Outsiders- England and Australia
Although not heavily favoured for success at the 2027 Rugby World Cup, England and Australia cannot be completely discounted.
England put in an impressive performance at the 2025 Six Nations finishing behind France by just one point. They were the only team to beat the tournament winners with a narrow 26-25 victory at the Allianz Stadium. The difficulty with the English side is consistency. Although they put on a reassuring display at the Six Nations, they lost seven of their eleven matches throughout 2024.
England’s Transition: Rebuilding for the 2027 World Cup
Since being crowned champions in their only World Cup win in 2003, England’s record against the top four teams has been shockingly poor with only 23 out of 84 wins⁶. As a wave of new talent enters the team, and players like Owen Farrell and Courtney Lawes step away from international rugby, England is going through a period of adjustment. Depending on the England that turns up, they could be challengers at the 2027 World Cup.
Australia: Hosting and Hoping for 2027 Glory
As hosts for the 2027 World Cup, Australia can’t be ruled out as contenders. Since winning the competition twice in the 1990s, the Wallabies haven’t been able to hit the same heights again. Their last effort at the 2023 World Cup, saw their worst ever result as they were eliminated before the knockout stage after a loss to Fiji and a crushing 40-6 defeat to Wales. Although recent results may not be on their side, with home crowd support, Australia are still ones to watch.
Final Thoughts
The 2027 Rugby World Cup promises to be the most competitive yet with an increased number of teams looking to challenge. New Zealand will almost certainly enter the tournament as favourites, given their impressive results historically and intense attacking play. After their winning campaign at the 2024 Six Nations, France will be hoping they can win their first ever World Cup in Australia in 2027. We would be hesitant to bet against them given their form and momentum, especially if Dupont is fit to play. Outside of the top two contenders, other nations are in with a chance, including defending champions South Africa and 2023 and 24 Six Nations winners, Ireland. Given the increased number of games to be played at the 2027 World Cup, it’s hard to pick a winner this far off without knowing squad depth and fitness. However, we think the main nations to watch out for will be New Zealand and France.
Sources:
2- New Zealand- Team, Written by the Rugby World Cup France 2023, Published by the Rugby World Cup France 2023.
3- Rugby Teams in NZ 2025, Written by Lucius Boehm, Published by Betkiwi.
4- Six Nations: Who Rivals Dupont as the Six Nation’s Greatest Player?, Written by Matt Hobbs, Published by BBC Sport.
5- Siya Kolisi is the Best Captain of the Professional Era, Written by Stuart Barnes, Published by The Times.
6- England Are Not Yet in Crisis But Six Nations Could Be Decisive for Borthwick, Written by Robert Kitson, Published by the Guardian.
