South Africa's quest to make history with a third straight Rugby World Cup title will come with a heavy dose of air miles after the 2027 tournament schedule laid bare a demanding route across Australia.
The reigning champions will launch their title defence on Sunday, 3 October, when they face Italy in Adelaide, before packing up and heading north to Brisbane for a clash with Georgia seven days later. From there, the Springboks will be forced to cross the country once again, travelling west to Perth to complete their Pool B campaign against Romania on 17 October.
All three of South Africa's pool matches fall on Sundays, but the rhythm changes sharply once the knockouts arrive. If the Boks finish top of Pool B, as expected, they will play their round-of-16 encounter on a Saturday, leaving them with just six days to recover and prepare.
