Football’s unpredictable nature keeps millions glued to the screen, but the real thrill begins when numbers start to shift in real time. For viewers and bettors tracking live odds on football, every corner, goal, or penalty can instantly reshape the game’s outlook. To read those changes confidently, one should first understand the odds themselves and […] The post Understanding Live Football Odds for Smarter Wagers appeared first on The Rugby Paper. [...]
Campbell Johnstone is a commanding high performance speaker whose tenure with All Blacks and professional clubs across Europe built a foundation of elite excellence and mental resilience. The post All Black legend Campbell Johnstone reveals the mindset shift that redefined his game appeared first on The Rugby Paper. [...]
Louis Rees-Zammit is back in the Wales squad after a two-year absence and an attempt to make it in the NFL. The post Louis Rees-Zammit back in Wales squad after two-year absence appeared first on The Rugby Paper. [...]
Two-time World Cup winner Emily Scarratt has announced her retirement from rugby. The post England great Emily Scarratt retires from rugby after second World Cup triumph appeared first on The Rugby Paper. [...]
Edinburgh captain Magnus Bradbury has been recalled to the Scotland squad for the upcoming autumn internationals more than three years after his last cap. The post Edinburgh captain Magnus Bradbury wins Scotland recall for autumn internationals appeared first on The Rugby Paper. [...]
Tom Willis has been left out of England’s training squad ahead of the autumn internationals. The post Tom Willis left out of England training squad ahead of autumn internationals appeared first on The Rugby Paper. [...]
Welcome to the second update of this new season of TRP Fantasy Rugby. Today’s update covers the period Sunday 5th October 2025 through to Saturday 11th October 2025. The post Fantasy Rugby 2025/26 appeared first on The Rugby Paper. [...]
England No.8 Tom Willis will leave Saracens for France at the end of the season in a seismic blow to Steve Borthwick’s plans. The post England and Steve Borthwick suffer seismic blow as Tom Willis opts for France appeared first on The Rugby Paper. [...]
Henry Slade is confident England will have a successful Autumn Series having seen Steve Borthwick’s squad depth tried and tested over the summer. The post England ready for take-off, says Henry Slade appeared first on The Rugby Paper. [...]
Tom Dunn has a message for those who fancy toppling Bath as league champions – we are not done yet. The post Prem: We’re hungry for more success, insists Bath’s Tom Dunn appeared first on The Rugby Paper. [...]
Wales head coach Steve Tandy has brought in Duncan Jones, Dan Lydiate and Rhys Patchell to his backroom team on an interim basis for the Autumn Series. The post Wales head coach Steve Tandy calls in trio to backroom staff on interim basis appeared first on The Rugby Paper. [...]
Leicester Tigers have appointed WRU interim performance director Huw Bevan as head of rugby operations – a newly established role following an off-field restructure which saw Dan Cole take up a role as recruitment and retention manager. The post Huw Bevan takes new role at Leicester Tigers appeared first on The Rugby Paper. [...]
QUALIFICATION PROCESS
BIG 12 AUTOMATIC SPOTS
> As hosts Australia qualify automatically for the 2027 tournament with another 11 teams gaining automatic qualification by finishing in the top three positions in their pools in the 2023 World Cup. Those teams are: South Africa, New Zealand, England, Argentina, Ireland, France, Wales, Fiji, Scotland, Italy and Japan. The remaining 12 spots in the 2027 expanded 24-team format will be allocated through teams competing in a global qualification process.
Four of those spots have already gone to the semi-finalists in the Rugby Rurope Championship, with semi-finalists Georgia, Spain, Portugal and Romania all qualifying for Australia 2027. The winner of the fifth-place play-off will earn a ticket to the Final Qualification Tournament in November, when one place in Australia 2027 will go to the winner of the tournament.
EUROPE – 4 TEAMS
Qualification matches: January-March 2025
> The four teams that reach the semi-finals of the Rugby Europe Championship 2025 will qualify directly for Australia 2027. Nations involved: Belgium, Georgia, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Switzerland.
The winner of the fifth-place play-off will secure their ticket to the Final Qualification Tournament (see below).
ASIA – 1 TEAM
Qualification matches: June-July 2025
> The Asia Rugby Championship 2025 winners will qualify directly for Australia 2027.
Nations involved: Hong Kong China, Korea, Malaysia and United Arab Emirates.
The runner-up in the tournament will progress to the Asia/Africa Play-off (see below).
AFRICA – 1 TEAM
Qualification matches: July 2025
> The Rugby Africa Cup 2025 champions will qualify directly for Australia 2027. Nations involved: Algeria, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Namibia, Senegal, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The runner-up in the tournament will progress to the Asia/Africa Play-off (see below).
SOUTH AMERICA – 1 TEAM
Qualification matches: July-September 2025
> The Sudamerica Rugby Championship 2025 winners will secure their place at Australia 2027, with the runner-up qualifying for the South America/Pacific Play-off (see below) and the third-placed team joining the line-up for the Final Qualification Tournament (see below). Nations involved: Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.
PACIFIC – 3 TEAMS
Qualification matches: August-September 2025
> The top three teams in the Pacific Nations Cup 2025 (other than already-qualified Fiji and Japan) will qualify for Australia 2027. The sixth-placed team will join the South America/Pacific Play-off (see below). Nations involved: Canada, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and the United States.
SOUTH AMERICA/PACIFIC PLAY-OFF – 1 TEAM
Qualification matches: September 2025
> A home-and-away play-off between the runner-up and the team finishing sixth in the Pacific Nations Cup. The winner qualifies for Australia 2027, while the loser will join the Final Qualification Tournament (see below).
ASIA/AFRICA PLAY-OFF
Qualification matches: September 2025
> The Rugby Africa Cup 2025 runner-up will play the Asia Rugby Championship runner-up in a home-and-away play-off. The winner qualifies for the Final Qualification Tournament (see below).
FINAL QUALIFICATION TOURNAMENT – 1 TEAM
Qualification matches: November 2025
> The final qualification tournament will comprise one pool of four teams, playing in a round-robin format with the winner - on competition points - qualifying for Australia 2027. The four teams will comprise the Sudamerica Rugby Championship 2025 third-place team; the South America/Pacific Play-off loser; the Rugby Europe Championship 2025 fifth-placed team; and the Africa/Asia Play-off winner.
1 October-13 November 2027
Categories
Ireland's Tadgh Beirne is confident of writing more Irish history against New Zealand in Chicago. [...]
England great Emily Scarratt admits to retiring with "a heavy heart" but says she wants to go out of the game on her own terms [...]
The Premiership Women's Rugby season kicks off on Friday - where are England's World Cup winners playing? [...]
Ulster's Harry Sheridan says the squad have been enjoying a game of the Traitors ahead of Saturday's URC game contest against the Lions. [...]
Former Scotland and British and Irish Lions head coach Sir Ian McGeechan reveals his prostate cancer is "all gone and under control". [...]
An in-depth interview with England great Emily Scarratt following her retirement. [...]
Ireland scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park says that facing New Zealand feels like a "brotherly rivalry". [...]
David Moffett quits Scarlets backers House of Luxury "effective immediately", giving no reasons for the decision. [...]
Gloucester have to "find their rhythm and kick on" after a winless start to the Prem season, director of rugby George Skivington says. [...]
Ethan Roots deserves a recall to the England squad, according to Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter. [...]
Former Ireland scrum-half Conor Murray says the "shackles are off" as he joins a new BBC Sounds podcast - the Ireland Rugby Social. [...]
Steve Tandy speaks of his excitement at being able to recall Saracens prop Rhys Carre to his first squad as Wales head coach. [...]
Wales recall Louis Rees-Zammit for their autumn Tests, two years after he last played for his country and switched from rugby to American football. [...]
Bath and England winger Will Muir is to have surgery on his ankle and is set to be out for a number of weeks. [...]
Uncapped forwards Alexander Masibaka, Liam McConnell and Harri Morris are named in Scotland's autumn internationals squad. [...]
