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Wallabies star Len Ikitau surges past World Cup winners in Top 100 rise
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Trans-Tasman clash headlines Pool A: RWC 2027 head-to-head records
By Jon Newcombe
The line-up for Pool A has brought together two of the greatest rivals in world rugby, host nation Australia and New Zealand, as well as setting up four new fixtures.
As the highest-ranked team drawn from Band 1 in the RWC 2027 draw, the All Blacks will be favourites to finish top, but buoyed by home support, the Wallabies will relish the RWC 2015 final rematch.
With each team playing three matches in the pool stages, there will be six fixtures per pool. The schedule will be announced on 3 February, 2026.
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Here’s the overall Test head-to-head records of the teams involved, listing the highest-ranked team first:
New Zealand (2) v Australia (7)
The countries who co-hosted the very first Rugby World Cup in 1987 will come together in what is bound to be a seismic clash. Normally the teams meet deep in the tournament; this is a first for the pool stages. The teams have two tournament wins apiece.
The All Blacks are currently on an 11-match winning run against the Wallabies, their longest streak of success in the fixture, including Bledisloe Cup wins in this year’s Rugby Championship.
Australia last tasted success against New Zealand when they won 24-22 in the Tri-Nations at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane in November 2020.
Test head-to-head record: Played: 181 – New Zealand leads 128-45 with eight draws
Past RWC results: 1991 SF – Australia 16-6 New Zealand; 2003 SF – Australia 22-10 New Zealand; 2011 SF – New Zealand 20-6 Australia; RWC 2015 F – New Zealand 34-17 Australia
New Zealand (2) v Chile (17)
The teams have never met before. Chile will be the All Blacks’ third South American RWC pool opponents after Argentina and Uruguay.
New Zealand (2) v Hong Kong China (23)
The teams have never met before. Hong Kong China will be coached at their first Rugby World Cup by New Zealander, Logan Asplin.
Australia (7) v Chile (17)
Again, the teams have never met before. The Wallabies lost two pool matches at RWC 2023, only one fewer than in the previous nine tournaments combined, but will be confident of improving on that record given the draw they’ve been given.
Australia (7) v Hong Kong China (23)
Another new fixture with the Wallabies and Hong Kong China having never faced each other before.
Chile (17) v Hong Kong China (23)
The previous encounters between these teams came seven years apart in 2017 and 2024. Hong Kong China won the first match on home soil, 13-6, before Los Condores got their revenge, winning 22-17 in Talca.
Test head-to-head record: Played: 2 – Chile and Hong Kong China have one win apiece.
Past RWC results: N/A
World Rankings in brackets
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