Spain coach looks ahead to RWC pool: ‘The goal is to advance’

Head Coach Pablo Bouza is embracing the challenge that awaits Spain at Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia, describing Pool C as an “evenly matched” and “competitive” group.

World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson was in Sydney for the tournament draw on Wednesday, with Spain drawn in a group with Test rugby giant-slayers Argentina, Fiji and Canada.

Argentina claimed a memorable upset win over the British & Irish Lions in Dublin earlier this year, before beating both the All Blacks and Wallabies during the 2025 Rugby Championship.

The Flying Fijians were a few minutes away from a win over the Wallabies in Newcastle before the Lions Series. Fiji went on to win the Pacific Nations Cup, before showing signs of promise in matches against England, France and Spain last month.

Fiji’s final match of 2025 was a 41-33 triumph over Spain, who challenged a world-renowned side in Malaga. Spain defeated the USA and Canada in July, and recently fell to a close 29-25 loss to England A in a highly competitive fixture.

“We got a very good group, competitive and evenly matched. Argentina is a Tier 1 team and we’ve played against the other two teams in the last two years,” Bouza told reporters.

“Fiji has played against France and England, in addition to playing in several World Cups in a row. Canada has been improving. Last summer we beat them in the final play of a very difficult match.

“I didn’t want to play against Argentina because they’re at a very high level, and besides, I played there and worked with the team for almost eight years. I know some of the staff and I have friends there.

“This year Argentina had a great season and is among the top four teams in the world, not in terms of ranking, but in terms of their play, even though they didn’t get some results.

“It’s a strange feeling going to the World Cup and playing against Argentina, but now I’m in Spain and I’m focused on the fact that we have two years of preparation left for the three matches we have to play in Australia. The most important thing isn’t the opponent, but how ready we get there, how we build our path to the World Cup.”

With Men’s Rugby World Cup expanding to 24 teams, a new competition format gives teams more opportunity to progress beyond the pool stage. There will be a round of 16 at the upcoming event in Australia, giving all teams a reason to believe.

Spain have completed at one other Rugby World Cup (1999) where they failed to record a win from their three matches. As they prepare to return to the sport’s biggest event for the first time this Millennium, Spain harbours ambitions of knockout rugby.

“The goal is to advance to the round of 16. We shouldn’t put pressure on ourselves to win a match; we have to think about getting there in the best possible shape, with the best players and the best preparation.,” Bouza explained.

“In 2026, we’ll be playing against Tier 2 countries; that’s already confirmed. We have the Rugby Europe Championship in February and March, in July we’ll play against Canada, the United States and Tonga, and at the end of the year against Uruguay, Chile and Samoa.

“These are opponents we’re on equal footing with, and they should all be very even matches. We’ve already put RWC qualification behind us, and now the competition among the players begins, and the staff will have to choose the best players to go to the World Cup.”