TheBreakdown

Road to the Final

Rugby World Cup 2027

The top two in each pool and the four best third-placed teams go into a round of 16. Choose a team and where it might finish to light up its route through the bracket: each match, its date and venue, and what the other side is until the teams are known.

Choose a team

Pool A
Pool B
Pool C
Pool D
Pool E
Pool F
Show the whole bracket

South Africa’s road

4 knockout wins from the pool to the trophy
  1. 1Pool B
    Italy, Georgia, Romania
    3 Oct to 17 Oct
    Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth
  2. 2Round of 16 8
    v 1st Pool F
    Sun, 24 Oct, 18:45 UTC+8
    Perth Stadium, Perth
  3. 3Quarter-final 4
    v Winner R16 7
    Sun, 31 Oct, 20:00 UTC+11
    Stadium Australia, Sydney
  4. 4Semi-final 2
    v Winner QF 3
    Sat, 6 Nov, 20:00 UTC+11
    Stadium Australia, Sydney
  5. 5Final
    v Winner SF 1
    Sat, 13 Nov, 20:00 UTC+11
    Stadium Australia, Sydney

South Africa: finish second

Round of 16Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinalSemi-finalsQuarter-finalsRound of 16Round of 16 1Sat, 23 Oct2nd Pool C2nd Pool FRound of 16 2Sat, 23 Oct1st Pool A3rd Pool C/E/FRound of 16 3Sat, 23 Oct1st Pool E2nd Pool DRound of 16 4Sat, 23 Oct1st Pool B3rd Pool D/E/FRound of 16 5Sun, 24 Oct1st Pool C3rd Pool A/E/FRound of 16 6Sun, 24 Oct1st Pool D3rd Pool B/E/FRound of 16 7Sun, 24 Oct2nd Pool A2nd Pool ERound of 16 8Sun, 24 Oct1st Pool FSouth AfricaQuarter-final 1Sat, 30 OctWinner R16 2Winner R16 4Quarter-final 2Sat, 30 OctWinner R16 1Winner R16 3Quarter-final 3Sun, 31 OctWinner R16 5Winner R16 6Quarter-final 4Sun, 31 OctWinner R16 7South AfricaSemi-final 1Fri, 5 NovWinner QF 1Winner QF 2Semi-final 2Sat, 6 NovWinner QF 3South AfricaBronze finalFri, 12 NovRU SF 1RU SF 2FinalSat, 13 NovWinner SF 1South Africa
Scroll sideways to see the whole bracket.South Africa’s routeSouth Africa’s own side

The bronze final is played by the beaten semi-finalists at Stadium Australia the day before the final.

Text version of the route

Pool matches

  • South Africa v ItalySun, 3 Oct, 14:15 UTC+10:30 · Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
  • South Africa v GeorgiaSun, 10 Oct, 16:45 UTC+10 · Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane
  • South Africa v RomaniaSun, 17 Oct, 19:15 UTC+8 · Perth Stadium, Perth

The route

  1. Round of 16Against 1st Pool FSun, 24 Oct, 18:45 UTC+8 · Perth Stadium, Perth
  2. Quarter-finalAgainst Winner R16 7Sun, 31 Oct, 20:00 UTC+11 · Stadium Australia, Sydney
  3. Semi-finalAgainst Winner QF 3Sat, 6 Nov, 20:00 UTC+11 · Stadium Australia, Sydney
  4. FinalAgainst Winner SF 1Sat, 13 Nov, 20:00 UTC+11 · Stadium Australia, Sydney