South Africa will kick off their bid for an unprecedented Rugby World Cup three-peat in a challenging Pool B, having been drawn alongside Italy, Georgia, and Romania for the 2027 tournament in Australia, Cape town Etc reports.
The draw, confirmed on Wednesday, sets the stage for the largest Rugby World Cup in history, with 24 nations competing across six pools for the first time.
The Springboks, winners in 1995, 2007, 2019 and 2023, are firm favourites to continue their dominance, but the expanded format, with a round of 16 introduced and some third-placed sides advancing, means that no team can afford to take its foot off the gas. South Africa's path to a third consecutive title will demand focus from the opening whistle against Italy, a side that has shown flashes of brilliance on the global stage.
