The draw for an expanded 2027 Rugby World Cup will take place on 3 December, organisers said on Wednesday, with hosts Australia confirmed as kicking off the tournament at Perth Stadium.

Twenty-four teams will be divided into six pools of four, with a bumper 52 games across six weeks from 1 October to 13 November. A round of 16 will be played for the first time.

The last World Cup in France, won by South Africa, featured 20 teams.

"I'm thrilled to see the tournament draw date revealed," said World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson.

"Expanding the men's Rugby World Cup to 24 teams is a landmark moment for our sport. It means more nations, more matches, and more opportunities for fans around the world to connect with rugby."

World Rugby rankings at the end of the November international window will be used to determine which teams head each of the six groups, making every win crucial ahead of the draw.

South Africa are currently ranked one ahead of Ireland, New Zealand, France, England and Argentina, with hosts Australia seventh. Scotland, Fiji and Italy round out the top 10.

The top two from each pool plus the four best third-placed teams will qualify for the knockout phase.

"The introduction of a round of 16 will deliver even more knockout rugby, ensuring every match counts and every team has the chance to make history," said Robinson.

"Importantly, we've been able to achieve this within a streamlined tournament window that protects player welfare while enhancing the spectacle.

"This is a huge step forward for rugby and a reflection of the game's global growth."

Sydney had already been announced to host the final and both semifinals, along with a third-place playoff and a string of other knockout and pool stage games.

The rest of the schedule is split between Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth, Adelaide and Townsville.

Some 2.5 million tickets will go on sale in February, with one million priced under AUS$100 (US$66) in a bid to make it the most family-friendly tournament yet.

The United States qualified for the next Rugby World Cup with a 29-13 victory over Samoa on Sunday, leaving only two more places to be decided for the 2027 tournament in Australia.

The US clinched fifth place in the Pacific Nations Cup, which offered a slot at the World Cup, with their triumph at the Mile High Stadium.

They had missed out on the last tournament in France in 2023.

Mission accomplished. #PacificNationsCup #USAvSAM pic.twitter.com/ulifTm4vL3

— USA Rugby (@USARugby) September 14, 2025

Samoa, who have competed at the last nine World Cups and twice been quarterfinalists, will now have to contest a two-legged playoff with Chile to decide one of the two remaining places.

The final spot at the 2027 tournament will be determined by the winner of a four-team playoff tournament in Dubai in November where Belgium and Namibia will compete against either Brazil or Paraguay and the loser of the playoff tie between Chile and Samoa.

The other already qualified nations are Australia (hosts), South Africa (holders), Argentina, Canada, England, Fiji, France, Georgia, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Tonga, Uruguay, Wales and Zimbabwe.

More than 2.5 million tickets, some for pool matches priced as low as A$40 ($26.04), will be available for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, which organisers say is the most for any edition of the global showpiece.

World Rugby are determined that the expanded 24-team tournament be accessible to as many people as possible and more than a million tickets for every stage will be priced at under A$100.

At the other end of the scale, those who want to guarantee their access to tickets can purchase one of 2 027 "Superfan passes", which for A$750 will entitle them to buy tickets for any of the 52 matches, including the final.

Those passes will go on sale next week, while other fans will soon be able to sign up for a closed pre-sale of tickets to take place early next year.

"We can proudly say that this 11th edition will be the most accessible ... Rugby World Cup ever with a range of pricing options," Brett Robinson, the chairman of World Rugby, told a news conference.

"This special event is for everyone, from families across Australia, families within our seven host cities, for fans travelling from Paris, Buenos Aires and Tokyo, because rugby's biggest stage should be open for all."

Fans were required to fork out A$149 to A$649 for tickets to this week's third test between Australia and the British & Irish Lions at Sydney's Stadium Australia.

Australia co-hosted the inaugural World Cup with New Zealand in 1987 and the 2003 tournament alone. But rugby has struggled for fans and attention in the country over the last decade or so as the Wallabies have struggled on the pitch.

"Our mission is bold," Robinson added. "We want to reignite Australia's love of our game. We want to bring people together from around the world.

"We want to shine a light on our sport's enduring values, those of respect, passion, integrity, solidarity, because rugby, at its best, is a powerful force. It changes lives."

Zimbabwe qualified for the Rugby World Cup for the first time since 1991 as they held on for a 30-28 victory over Namibia in the Rugby Africa Cup final in the Ugandan capital on Saturday.

Zimbabwe has done it ✅
Champions of Africa once again; Undefeated in two consecutive tournaments. And a spot at the world table.
Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 has conquered Africa once again 🏆
A battle well fought by Namibia 🇳🇦 but Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 came out victorious pic.twitter.com/ziSzbvus8f

— Rugby Afrique (@RugbyAfrique) July 19, 2025

Zimbabwe will take up the berth reserved for the continental competition winner in Australia in 2027, while Namibia will get a second chance to compete at the World Cup through playoffs later this year.

pic.twitter.com/Ha7r0DFOfJ

— Zimbabwe Sables 🇿🇼 (@SablesRugbyZW) July 19, 2025

Namibia have qualified for the last seven World Cups, but it will be only a third appearance for Zimbabwe, which competed at the first two tournaments in 1987 and 1991.

The two teams were tied 16-16 at halftime, but two quick tries after the break saw Zimbabwe go 30-16 ahead, only for Namibia to claw their way to a two-point deficit before missing a long-range penalty in the last minute that would have won the game.

The draw for the pool stage of the 2027 Men's Rugby World Cup in Australia will take place next December, World Rugby confirmed.

The tournament will feature 24 teams, rather than 20 as was the case since the 1999 World Cup, divided into six pools of four teams.

Perth will host the opening match and Sydney the final in the event from 1 October to 13 November, 2027.

The final qualifying tournament takes place in Dubai from 8 to 18 November.

Sixteen teams have qualified so far – two-time defending champions South Africa, France, New Zealand, Italy, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Fiji, Australia, England, Argentina, Japan, Georgia, Spain, Portugal, and Romania.

The 2027 men's Rugby World Cup final will be played in Sydney, World Rugby said Thursday as it released the official draw for the Australia-hosted tournament.

"We are delighted to reach another significant milestone on our journey to Men's Rugby World Cup 2027," World Rugby chair Brett Robinson said in a statement.

Local media reported that the final would be played at the Sydney Olympic stadium, an 80 000-seat venue purpose-built for the 2000 Olympics.

Sydney last hosted the World Cup final in 2003, when Australia lost to England in a gripping clash that went to extra-time.

Seven host cities are locked in for Rugby World Cup 2027 🔒

Register your interest now 📲 https://t.co/wTE2RatTyp#Wallabies #RWC2027 pic.twitter.com/eMPlhx1N88

— Wallabies (@wallabies) January 30, 2025

Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh, who played for the Wallabies in that game, said playing a home final was the "absolute pinnacle" of his career.

"I am delighted this generation of Wallabies will have the privilege of experiencing the emotion, excitement and joy of pulling on the gold jersey before our passionate fans at a Men's Rugby World Cup in own backyard."

Sydney will also host two semifinals, the third-place playoff, and a string of other knockout and pool stage games.

The rest of the schedule is split between Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth, Adelaide and Townsville.

The tournament will run from October 1 to November 13, according to the World Rugby schedule.

All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson hailed the "class" of Beauden Barrett after the playmaker committed to another World Cup cycle on Monday by signing with New Zealand Rugby until the end of 2027.

Back for another four years 🖤#AllBlacks pic.twitter.com/Ca8vhyXT9V

— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) December 3, 2023

The 32-year-old is currently playing for Tokyo Verblitz in Japan but will return to New Zealand next year and be available for All Blacks selection.

The two-time World Player of the Year, who has won 123 caps for his country, will return to the Auckland-based Blues in Super Rugby in 2025, a New Zealand Rugby statement said.

"Beauden brings an enormous amount of class to the table," Robertson said.

"He is the second most-capped All Black back in history for a reason and to have his knowledge and experience in our game is a reflection of his loyalty."

Barrett, a key member of the All Blacks team beaten 12-11 by South Africa in the final of the World Cup in October, said: "It's a huge privilege to put on the black jersey and one I will never take for granted."

Barrett, whose brothers Scott and Jordie also play for New Zealand, made his debut for the All Blacks in 2012.

He has scored 734 points and 43 tries, and won the World Cup in 2015.

The 2027 World Cup is in Australia.

Over three weeks since their quarterfinal exit at the hands of South Africa, France coach Fabien Galthie finally opened up on Wednesday about the "scar that will stay with us for life".

Hosts France were one of the favourites to win the tournament but lost a thrilling quarterfinal 29-28 to the eventual champions.

"For us, it was a time of mourning," said Galthie who has not spoken to the press since the night of the loss on 15 October.

"It's a huge disappointment after four years of hard work, four years of successful work with 80 per cent wins and all those records.

"The only objective we wanted to achieve was to be world champions. There was no other.

"It would have been the same disappointment if we'd lost in the semifinal by one point. The disappointment would have been the same if we'd lost in the final by one point.

"The difference is that we would have had an extra week.

"The difference is enormous because we wanted to experience these moments that we've been working towards for four years. So the disappointment is enormous."

Galthie, 54, took over as coach in December 2019 and reinvigorated an under-achieving team.

Last month, following France's exit, he signed a new contract until June 2028, along with team manager Raphael Ibanez, defence coach Shaun Edwards and scrum specialist William Servat, allowing him to set his sights on the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

French rugby fans can expect more of the high-octane flare that has epitomised his team since taking over.

"Tactically and strategically, if I had to do it again, I'd do the same thing," said Galthie.

France's next test will be the Six Nations: they open against 2023 Grand Slam winners Ireland in Marseille on 2 February.

Springbok great Duane Vermeulen - double Rugby World Cup winner and all-round hard man - announced his retirement at the age of 37 on Wednesday.

Vermeulen, who started his career at the Pumas and played for a number of rugby sides, including the Stormers and the Bulls, became a Springbok late in his career, but still managed to play 76 tests for the Boks and won the World Cup in 2019 and 2023, ranking among the best No 8s in test history.

Vermeulen twice won the SA Rugby Player of the Year - in 2014 and 2020 - and could easily have come close to the 100-test mark were it not for injuries. He is the most-capped Springbok No 8 in history, having started 68 of his tests in the eight jersey.

👕 76 caps
🏆 2x SA Rugby Player of the Year
🥇 2x Rugby World Cup winner
🦁 British & Irish Lions Series winner

🗣️ “Duane will forever be regarded as one of the real hard men of South African rugby." - Mr Mark Alexander.

Thor has called time on his Springbok career 🫡 pic.twitter.com/8hEgY8VSTa

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) November 8, 2023

His Player of the Year awards put him in an elite club of only five players who have won the award more than once since the advent of professionalism: Schalk Burger (2004, ’11), Bryan Habana (2005, ’07, ’12), Fourie du Preez (2006, ’09), Jean de Villiers (2008, ’13) and Pieter-Steph du Toit (2016, ’18, ’19).

While he has many highlights, including a British and Irish Lions tour win in 2021, one of the classic Vermeulen moments was the back-flip pass for Fourie du Preez to score and beat Wales in the 2015 World Cup quarterfinal.

He was also the man of the match in the 2019 World Cup final, where he was incredible and racked up stats including 10 carries, making 49 metres (both the most in the match) and two turnovers.

Vermeulen made his debut way back in 2012 when given the chance by Heyneke Meyer and ended it 11 seasons later against New Zealand in the World Cup final in Paris.

At provincial level, Vermeulen and the late Springbok loose forward Theuns Stofberg are the only players who have won the Currie Cup with three different unions, when he lifted the coveted gold trophy with the Toyota Cheetahs (2007), DHL Western Province (2012) and Vodacom Bulls (2020).

ALEXANDER PAYS HOMAGE

SA Rugby President Mark Alexander paid homage to Vermeulen in his announcement.

“Duane will forever be regarded as one of the real hard men of South African rugby – he was not only a formidable force for the Springboks but also a multifaceted player who consistently delivered his best,” said Mr Alexander.

“As someone who preferred to operate away from the limelight, Duane was one of those players who never settled for second best and always gave everything he had to his team.

“He was a leader who captained South Africa in four tests, but he also retired as the most-capped Springbok No 8 with two Rugby World Cup winners’ medals – a wonderful achievement for a player who will be remembered as a true legend of the sport.”

Thank you to one of the real hard men of South African rugby - more here: https://t.co/MVuEjI2kLI 👏💪#Springboks #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/NF9vpWqznE

— Springboks (@Springboks) November 8, 2023

PROVINCIAL DEBUT IN 2005

He never represented South Africa at junior level, but made his debut for the Pumas on 5 August 2005 in a Currie Cup clash against the Border Bulldogs, just a month and two days after turning 19.

Vermeulen played for the Pumas in 2005 and 2006 before he was lured to Bloemfontein by SA Rugby’s Director of Rugby, Rassie Erasmus, who was then still head coach of the Free Staters. He made his Vodacom Super Rugby debut in 2007, two months before he turned 21.

In 2009, he followed Erasmus and Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber to Cape Town, where he played for DHL Western Province and the Stormers. In the same year, he got his first taste of international rugby when he was selected for the Emerging Springboks against the touring British & Irish Lions in the Mother City (he also faced the Lions for DHL WP during the same series).

In 2010, he was included in a preliminary Springbok training squad as part of the preparation for the end-of-year tour, but he only made his test debut two years later after struggling with injuries, which saw him miss out on possible selection for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

Vermeulen also played for Toulon in France, Kubota Spears in Japan and Ulster in Ireland.

MASSIVE IMPRESSION

“Duane made a massive impression wherever he went, and looking at his achievements all over the world, it’s clear that he was not only a Springbok great, but a superb ambassador for South Africa,” added Mr Alexander.

“I know Duane still has a lot to give back to our wonderful game, but as his playing career comes to an end, on behalf of the entire South African rugby family, I would like to thank Duane for his selfless service to his country and the Springboks, as well as his provincial unions.

"I would like to wish him, his wife, Ezel, and their two sons, Anru and Zian, the best for their future.”

Actions speak louder than words 👏 #Springboks #StrongerTogether #GoBokke pic.twitter.com/Rut5eDZBxz

— Springboks (@Springboks) November 8, 2023

Bongi Mbonambi has labelled England as "unprofessional" after the South Africa hooker was cleared of allegations he racially abused Tom Curry during the Rugby World Cup semifinals.

World Rugby found "insufficient evidence" to back up Curry's claim that he was called a "white (followed by an expletive)" by the Springboks player in South Africa's victory in Paris in October.

Mbonambi said the incident arose because Curry failed to realise he was speaking Afrikaans, a common practice among the Springboks to ensure opponents do not understand their messages.

"I think it is a very sad thing when you live in a first world country (England), you think the rest of the world speaks English," he told BBC Sport Africa on Tuesday.

"It was unprofessional on their part. They could have gone on a website and looked for an English dictionary and looked for the word in Afrikaans.

"People understood (in South Africa), but obviously their side was misunderstood."

World Rugby stressed that Curry made the allegation in good faith and added there was no suggestion that it was "deliberately false or malicious".

Both players have been subjected to online abuse since the alleged incident, with Curry's club, Sale Sharks, saying they were "disgusted" by some of the criticism aimed at their player.

New Zealand captain Sam Cane was suspended for two matches on Monday for a dangerous tackle which saw him become the first player to be red-carded in a Rugby World Cup final.

The 31-year-old was initially sin-binned for the tackle on South Africa's Jesse Kriel in the first half of the match which the All Blacks lost in Paris on 28 October, but was red-carded after the action was reviewed.

"The player accepted that he had committed an act of foul play but challenged the Foul Play Review Official's decision that the act warranted a red card," World Rugby said in a statement.

An independent Disciplinary Committee of World Rugby found "the degree of danger was high as there was direct and forceful contact with the player's shoulder to the head of the ball carrier".

World Rugby's mandatory minimum mid-range entry point for foul play resulting in head contact is normally a six-match ban.

However, "taking all considerations into account, including the player’s exemplary disciplinary record, his early acknowledgement of foul play and his clear remorse, the independent Committee determined mitigation of three matches was appropriate", the statement added.

The sanction was reduced to two matches subject to Cane's completion of a coaching intervention programme.

Flanker Cane will miss his first two matches with Japanese club Suntory which he has joined last week for the 2024 season, but could make his debut on 2 December against Urayasu D-Rocks.

The World Cup-winning Springboks wrapped up their multi-city trophy tour on Sunday with thousands of adoring fans flocking to see their heroes up close and personal over four days filled with celebration and pride.

South Africa edged arch-rivals New Zealand 12-11 to achieve a record fourth Rugby World Cup title and their second in a row in a gripping final in Paris a week ago.

The Boks visited Gauteng on Thursday, followed by Cape Town on Friday, Durban on Saturday and East London on Sunday.

On Thursday, Soweto teenagers danced in their school uniforms, as others, young and old, waved South African flags and yellow signs reading "thank you Bokke", waiting for the yellow and green open-top bus carrying the players.

Bus carrying 2023 Rugby World Champions (South Africa) passes Vilakazi Street in Soweto, Johannesburg. #Springboks #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/W1oeWkSYlm

— Felix Tih (@felixtiih) November 2, 2023

#YNews: The #Springboks arrived in Soweto to an elated crowd as the World Champions' victory tour gains momentum.

Vilakazi Street was packed with fans, celebrating the Springboks. pic.twitter.com/UHgfKV3CaI

— Y (@Yfm) November 2, 2023

Really felt patriotic today 🔥#strongertogether #SpringboksRWC #Springboks pic.twitter.com/IsWjNfASNm

— Zain_Sanchez (@ZainDaiz_) November 2, 2023

Wearing a green and gold t-shirt, Dined Malise, 49, left home a couple hours before the team's scheduled arrival to get a prime spot along the route.

"I'm so proud about my Bokke (Springboks), especially my captain," she said before breaking into a "Viva Bokke, Viva!" cry of joy.

Supporters erupted in a loud cheer as the players, wearing yellow t-shirts emblazoned with the team's motto "Stronger Together", rode through one Soweto's main streets, with captain Siya Kolisi rallying the crowd from the front, holding the Webb Ellis Cup.

It looks like the boys are having fun in the Gauteng sun today 😎#StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/6ZukIMPiYF

— Springboks (@Springboks) November 2, 2023

Safe to say Cheslin Kolbe and Faf de Klerk are fan favourites in Pretoria 😂

The Springbok Trophy Parade has officially kicked off!

📺 Stream live: https://t.co/bDeiretOMn#StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/THvGvVAD2d

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) November 2, 2023

'INTO A LEGEND'

The team began its victory tour on Thursday in Pretoria, where the country's President Cyril Ramaphosa hailed the players for uniting a country with a divisive past.

"Saturday night, you strode off the pitch of victory and passed into legend," said Ramaphosa, who this week declared a public holiday on 15 December to celebrate the win.

"In doing so you have lifted the spirits of an entire nation and filled us with pride."

South Africa's Rugby World Cup champions were welcomed in the capital Pretoria by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The Springboks are embarking on a country-wide tour with the Webb Ellis trophy that they won for a record fourth time this past weekend pic.twitter.com/PdQgP4CajO

— Reuters (@Reuters) November 2, 2023

For 90 years, Springbok selectors chose only white players, with black and mixed-race athletes sequestered in separate leagues.

That started to change after the advent of democracy in 1994, with Nelson Mandela famously rallying behind the team that won its first World Cup in 1995.

"This is the one time where everybody forgets whether they are black or white," said Vincent Mokgako, 65, sitting just outside the house where Mandela used to live in Soweto, now a museum.

"This is this is a legacy that Mandela left, that sports always brings people together," he said.

'DIVERSITY IS OUR STRENGTH'

In recent years, Kolisi, 32, has been pivotal in bringing many young, black South Africans closer to the sport.

"We are very diverse, just like you are outside there and we just wanted to show that diversity is our strength," Kolisi, the Springboks' first black test captain, said earlier dedicating the trophy to "the people of South Africa".

[WATCH] Captain Siya Kolisi challenges President Cyril Ramaphosa to use the spirit of diversity displayed after the #Springboks Rugby World Cup victory for the entire country. "We need to use our diversity a bit more." #Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/FcGyHy0725

— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) November 2, 2023

"The performance of the Springboks...has reminded us that even amidst our many challenges, there is always room for optimism and hope," said Ramaphosa.

Here are some special moments captured during the trophy tour:

World champions & champion fans 🇿🇦@Vodacom @BlueBullsRugby’s Loftus Versfeld was INSANE! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/GP3GpsXTgF

— Vodacom (@Vodacom) November 2, 2023

The people from the Capital came out in full force to show their support to the #Springboks 🚌🏆#StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/gerkW6ywIh

— Springboks (@Springboks) November 2, 2023

Springboks met by thousands of supporters at FNB Stadium. pic.twitter.com/TQOyMFRQ51

— Mahlatse Mphahlele (@BraMahlatse) November 2, 2023

Faf arrives in his speedo at FNB Stadium#Springboks pic.twitter.com/NEQAb52xyI

— Morgan Bolton (@FreemanZAR) November 2, 2023

Faf de Klerk the last born and Damian Willemse 🥰🥰🥰
I love them #SpringboksRWC
Rassie Union Buildings FNB Stadium pic.twitter.com/fkD0UHPLVR

— IG:Joy-Zelda (@joy_zelda) November 2, 2023

What a great moment! Siya Dlamini from Volksrust in Mpumalanga gets to meet #Elizabedi 🥹#StrongerTogether @EbenEtzebeth pic.twitter.com/GAPyX3ewrn

— Springboks (@Springboks) November 3, 2023

Amazing scenes in the Mother City today 🏆🚌#StrongerTogether #Springboks pic.twitter.com/yHKmn547Ff

— Springboks (@Springboks) November 3, 2023

🥳 The streets of Cape Town were a Green and Gold party yesterday!

The Springboks continue their Trophy Tour in Durban today 🚌🇿🇦#StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/sjK6Q73LJ7

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) November 4, 2023

Cape Town didn't disappoint today 🙏#StrongerTogether #Springboks
📸 Gallo Images pic.twitter.com/mgUPhKP29d

— Springboks (@Springboks) November 3, 2023

Lekker in Durbs 🏆🚌#Springboks #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/KHqR29TeyV

— Springboks (@Springboks) November 4, 2023

The @Springboks are on fire 🔥🔥

Durban is on fire 🔥🔥#SpringboksRWC #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/e87XtnuATp

— KZN Provincial Gov (@kzngov) November 4, 2023

A special Sunday in East London 🏆🚌#Springboks #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/PZ9wfjS5g3

— Springboks (@Springboks) November 5, 2023

WATCH | Springboks singing at the East London city hall. Video: ZIYANDA ZWENI pic.twitter.com/9NJLX5ikf2

— Daily Dispatch (@Dispatch_DD) November 5, 2023

Here are the SuperSport team's top ten moments that won the Springboks the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

LIBBOK NO-LOOK PASS TO ARENDSE AGAINST SCOTLAND

If ever there was a moment that Manie Libbok could have announced himself on the world stage, it was here.  The no-look kick pass caught Scotland off-guard, flummoxed the defence and caused them to waver just enough so that the pinpoint kick could find a flying Kurt-Lee Arendse, who went in for the try. It was the moment that Libbok answered his critics and announced to the world that he was a genuine test player.

REINACH 20-MINUTE HAT-TRICK AGAINST ROMANIA

The owner of the fastest hat-trick in a Rugby World Cup - Cobus Reinach - added a second hat-trick against a poor Romanian side - this one the second fastest in Rugby World Cup history and showed just how much depth the Boks have among their halfbacks.

MAPIMPI MATCHES REINACH AGAINST ROMANIA

There was so much talk of the old warrior - Makazole Mapimpi - after the arrival in the squad of young turks Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie that his hat-trick was a firm reminder of just how exceptional he is.  The veteran had tricks up his sleeve and while his World Cup didn’t last long, he made an indelible impression on a lot of Springbok fans.

KICKING MASTERCLASS AGAINST TONGA

With so much pressure on Libbok after the arrival of Handre Pollard, there was a lot of speculation on just how the Boks would handle the two flyhalves, especially as Libbok had struggled with his kicking. Pollard delivered a kicking masterclass, slotting four kicks to get the Boks rolling and then Libbok appeared and put over three tricky conversions to give them a full house on the kicking stats

KOLBE CHARGES DOWN RAMOS' CONVERSION

A moment that was debated over and over again, and in the end made a telling difference to the result. Cheslin Kolbe did the unthinkable and charged down Thomas Ramos’ conversion in the quarterfinal against France. It was a moment that came out of nowhere and stunned everybody. Afterwards it was suggested that he started early, and the debate raged, but the charge was checked by the TMO and remains a magical moment that helped the Boks oust the World Cup hosts.

POLLARD COOL AS ICE LATE ON AGAINST FRANCE

Ice in the veins - Handre Pollard’s 100 percent record at the Rugby World Cup continued with a magnificent penalty against France, one that turned the tide in South Africa’s favour from 50 metres out. It was a moment that saw the Boks through by a single-point into the semifinal, and showed why the Bok pivot was so crucial in his late arrival in the tournament.

FAF'S LAST-MINUTE STEAL AGAINST FRANCE

With France heavily on the attack and desperate to make up the one point deficit, the smallest man on the field fronted up to France’s forward pack as they rumbled upfield, ripping the ball and ending the game, sending the host nation into mourning and Springbok fans into rapture.

POLLARD CONVERTS AFTER MASSIVE SCRUM PENALTY AGAINST ENGLAND

For 70-odd minutes the Springboks were losing the battle to a tactically superior England. Then Ox Nche came on and everything changed. Four scrum penalties changed the tide, and the fifth, which ultimately was the crucial one with time almost up, came as Vincent Koch forced Ellis Genge onto his knee, winning the penalty in a much-debated decision.

And after that it was no surprise that Pollard stepped up and delivered an 50-metre bomb to send South Africa into the final.

ARENDSE'S LAST DITCH TACKLE ON IOANE

Down 12-3 but on attack, New Zealand’s ascendancy looked to end in a try as they had the Boks firmly on the back foot, and when Rieko Ioane got the ball, it was a foot race with the smallest Bok winger chasing him. Kurt-Lee Arendse showed his heart is double his stature as he made a massive tackle, not only stopping the try but causing Ioane to lose the ball in the process.

PIETER-STEPH DU TOIT TACKLING MASTERCLASS IN THE FINAL

Is there anything that Pieter-Steph du Toit can’t do? The man is a machine. He hunted down every All Black - and especially Jordie Barrett on a night where he was everywhere. When 12-14 tackles a game is accepted worldwide as a high standard, his 28 was out of this world.

The former World Player of the year deserved the man of the match award with his tackle count being  the joint most by any player in a Rugby World Cup match and the most by any player in a men’s final, overtaking the 18 made by Richie McCaw against France in 2011. 

Record-setting English referee Wayne Barnes announced Thursday that he was calling time on his career, five days after officiating in the Rugby World Cup final.

"People often say you will know when it is the right time to retire, and this is clearly the right time for me and for my family," said Barnes in a World Rugby statement.

"It's been an incredible journey."

Barnes, 44, refereed 111 internationals, a record, between 2006 and 2023.

He was also involved in 92 tests as an assistant referee and three as TMO (television match official).

Over five World Cups, he officiated in 27 matches, another record, including six in both 2019 and 2023.

Barnes also refereed three Champions Cup finals (2010, 2018, 2022) and twenty-six matches in the Six Nations Tournament between 2007 and 2023.

pic.twitter.com/sZlXl97wUy

— Wayne Barnes (@WayneBarnesRef) November 2, 2023

"Over the past 20 years, I have been in the middle of some of the greatest rugby matches in history," said Barnes.

"I have seen some of the world's best players and worked with some of the finest coaches the game has ever produced.

"Last Saturday, I was privileged to referee the Rugby World Cup final between two of the most iconic teams in sport; the All Blacks and the Springboks.

"My children have missed out on time with their dad for far too long and I am now looking forward to family weekends, sports matches, school assemblies and birthday parties."

"I will continue to advocate for referees," Barnes said, adding he wanted "to ensure match officials across the globe not only have a collective voice but also the appropriate support network for them and their families, particularly as online abuse and threats have become far too regular for all of those involved in the game."

Barnes himself was a target of abuse when sarcastic tweets from South Africa's director of rugby Rassie Erasmus taking him to task over his refereeing of France's 30-26 victory over the Springboks last year led to Barnes and his wife and children receiving online threats.

He and his family also received abuse after the Rugby World Cup final from disgruntled New Zealand fans.

World Rugby president Bill Beaumont praised Barnes.

"Refereeing is a tough job, perhaps the toughest in sport. It takes a special person with passion, dedication and a support network around them to be so good for so long."

New Zealand has asked global governing body World Rugby to explain some of the officiating during their World Cup final defeat to South Africa, outgoing coach Ian Foster said.

The Springboks' 12-11 victory featured four yellow cards, including one upgraded to red for All Blacks captain Sam Cane for a high tackle, leaving Foster's team with 14 men for more than half the game.

South Africa captain Siya Kolisi was yellow-carded five minutes into the second half for what appeared to be a similar shoulder-to-head collision with Ardie Savea.

New Zealand were also confounded when an Aaron Smith try was cancelled by the Television Match Official for a knock-on on the other side of the pitch.

"We've sent a number of – we've already sent a file into World Rugby for them to make a few comments on," Foster told New Zealand media with a wry smile.

"Hopefully they do."

Foster declined to comment on which areas of the game the All Blacks were specifically interested in.

"Oh, I think you can guess," he said.

The final was Foster's last match as All Blacks coach, with Scott Robertson set to take over.

Having returned to New Zealand from France, one of Foster's last duties will be a review of the All Blacks' performance with his coaching staff, which players will likely be spared from.

"It probably won't be officially (with players). It certainly will be by me and my coaching group," he said.

Eddie Jones, who resigned as Australia coach this week, believes the England rugby team have failed to make any progress since his sacking last year.

Jones, who will lead the Barbarians against Wales on Saturday, took England to the 2019 Rugby World Cup final and to three Six Nations titles.

"I had a good run with England, seven years, the highest winning percentage (for a coach). It was probably time to change, the RFU decided it was, so be it," Jones told the Telegraph.

"But the interesting thing is the team hasn't improved. We made a final in 2019 and got beat in a semifinal in 2023.

"For me, if I have a fault about my coaching, and like everyone you do, I always want a team that can win the World Cup. I'm not interested in a team that can compete at a World Cup."

Jones was full of praise for his successor Steve Borthwick.

"I think Steve has done a fantastic job, a really good job," the Australian said.

"He has gone back to bread and butter English rugby, but I was trying to move it past that, and I failed. But I would rather do that, than not do it.

"When you are playing that really attritional sort of rugby, you have to have some x-factor in your kick return, the rest of your play.

"That's what I was searching for with England, a little bit of difference. Where you get that bad kick and you can go on it, you make them pay."

Australia exited this year's World Cup at the group stage, but Jones was not taking the blame.

"If you are not producing a winning team for 20 years, then it is not the coach, right? It's the system. The system needs to change," he said.

"I chose to take on a difficult job, a difficult job with certain conditions. When those conditions haven't been met, I’ve chosen not to continue with the job.

"If people want to blame me for everything, that's OK. I can't control that."

The Springboks will start their Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour in Pretoria on Thursday morning when the open-top bus departs from the Union Buildings at 9:30.

The Gauteng route will start in an easterly direction and go past Loftus Versfeld before heading west to take in the Pretoria CBD.

The Boks will then transfer to Johannesburg, where they are due to start at 2pm at No 1 Jan Smuts Avenue in Braamfontein before crossing the Nelson Mandela Bridge and then heading to Soweto.

The Gauteng tour will conclude when the Boks arrive at FNB Stadium at approximately 3:45pm – entry is free and tickets are available from Ticketpros.

The #Springboks' #RWC2023 Trophy Tour starts in Gauteng tomorrow, from the Union Buildings to FNB Stadium 👍#StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/tyXL7XKyHP

— Springboks (@Springboks) November 1, 2023

On Friday, the Springboks will be in Cape Town, where a big crowd is expected at the Grand Parade adjacent to City Hall, where they are expected to appear at 11:30am.

The bus route will start shortly after 12pm and will take in the Cape Town CBD, and from 2:30pm they are scheduled to drive through Langa and Bonteheuwel before heading back to the city centre at around 5:30pm.

The Boks will transfer to KwaZulu-Natal early on Saturday morning for their tour starting at the Garden Court Hotel in Umhlanga at approximately 9:30am, heading towards the Durban City Hall and finally uShaka Marine World, where they are expected at around 1:45pm.

The final leg will be in East London on Sunday, starting and finishing at the Garden Court Hotel from 10am until approximately 2pm.

Don't miss any of the celebrations from the Springbok Trophy Tour over the next four days 🇿🇦🏆 pic.twitter.com/DvTpggu36Q

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) November 1, 2023

Details on the routes will be posted on the Springboks’ social media channels, as well as updates where necessary, as all the routes and timings are subject to change.

For more information on how the destinations were chosen, Click here.

Satellite tours to other population centres in the Free State, North West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Northern Cape, among other places, are in the planning stages, with scheduling contingent on players’ club commitments.

Rugby Australia face the daunting task of finding a new Wallabies coach after their disastrous experiment with Eddie Jones ended abruptly this week.

AFP Sports looks at potential candidates to repair Australia's reputation with a 2025 British and Irish Lions tour and 2027 home World Cup on the horizon:

DAN MCKELLAR

The highly regarded 47-year-old was widely seen as heir apparent to former Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, working as his assistant until the New Zealander was axed in January.

But McKellar was overlooked and left for England to take over as head coach at Leicester Tigers when the polarising Jones was appointed.

Brisbane-born McKellar made his name as coach of the Brumbies and reportedly has a Wallabies exit clause in his contract with Leicester.

He is considered a frontrunner.

STEPHEN LARKHAM

The decorated former Wallabies fly-half is a brilliant tactician with an in-depth knowledge of Australian rugby.

After winning 102 caps as a player, he became attack coach under then-Wallabies mentor Michael Cheika at the 2015 World Cup.

But he had a falling-out with the national team in 2019 after a string of poor results and became head coach of European heavyweights Munster, where he spent three years.

The Canberra-born 49-year-old returned to the Brumbies – where he spent a decade as a player – for the 2023 Super Rugby season, taking over from McKellar.

Like McKellar, touted as a top target for Rugby Australia.

MICHAEL CHEIKA

The vastly experienced 56-year-old coached the Wallabies between 2014 and 2019, steering them to the 2015 World Cup final before a messy departure as results deteriorated.

He has only enhanced his reputation since and guided Argentina to the World Cup semifinals in France last month. Now out of contract, Cheika could be tempted by a return home.

An innovative thinker, he was a teammate of Jones at club side Randwick and has also coached Leinster, Stade Francais and the Waratahs.

IAN FOSTER

The 58-year-old New Zealander is out of work despite leading the All Blacks to a narrow loss to South Africa in the World Cup final. His successor Scott Robertson was appointed before the tournament.

Rugby Australia chief Phil Waugh has said he is prepared to speak with him, but having another Kiwi at the helm so soon after Rennie might not go down well with Wallabies fans.

After his four-year tenure with New Zealand, Foster will have no shortage of job offers and said after the World Cup he was open to coaching another international team.

WILDCARDS

Left-field prospects include former Harlequins, Brumbies and Connacht coach Andy Friend, who used to be in charge of the Australian Sevens team.

Waratahs coach Darren Coleman has also been mentioned in local media, but would appear to lack experience.

Another outside chance is New Zealander Joe Schmidt, who helped transform Irish rugby into a global force and has more recently been working with the All Blacks.

All Blacks captain Sam Cane said Wednesday that he has been "pleasantly surprised" by support from New Zealand rugby fans following his red card at the World Cup.

Cane made history during the 12-11 defeat to South Africa in Paris on Saturday by becoming the first player to receive a red card in a Rugby World Cup final.

The All Blacks were greeted by a small crowd at Auckland Airport when they arrived home in New Zealand.

Cane said the level of good wishes from their fans during the tournament in France had been overwhelming.

"The support is something I haven't experienced as an All Black," Cane told reporters. "It's the best I've found and that's from halfway around the world.

"I said before the final it's been overwhelming. And put it this way, I've been pleasantly surprised with the support post the final too.

"I felt like I let a lot of people down and feeling that support has certainly helped. On a personal level, I appreciate all the kind words. It means a heck of a lot."

The 31-year-old looked shell-shocked during the final when the yellow card he initially received for a high tackle on Jesse Kriel was upgraded to a red.

The New Zealand skipper said some motherly advice has since helped him come to terms with the dismissal.

"My mum actually said to me if it was my boy (son) who'd been in this situation, 'how would you want him to feel and you wouldn’t want him to beat himself up', so (I'm) trying not to be too hard on myself," he added.

All Blacks No 8 Ardie Savea, named World Rugby Player of the Year on Sunday, said it was a "bittersweet" moment to be greeted by crowds of fans without the World Cup trophy.

Savea relived the final during the flight home. "Playing the game over in your head, which is normal after losing a really big one," he said. "It will hurt for a little bit."

Ian Foster, who has bowed out after four years as All Blacks head coach, said he was "immensely proud" of their run to the final.

The 58-year-old declined to comment on if he was interested in the Australia head coach position, vacant since the resignation of Eddie Jones earlier this week.

The issue of cards, the blight on the modern game, didn’t make its presence felt at Rugby World Cup 2023 as much as many feared it might, but when it did it came at the most inopportune time. Or maybe let me rethink that - the timing of the controversy that impacted on and then followed the Paris final was actually perfect.

That might seem a bizarre thing to say and perhaps even a bit disrespectful to the referee Wayne Barnes, who turned in a stellar performance with the whistle and yet was allegedly subjected to death threats afterwards, and All Blacks captain Sam Cane.

Cane must be feeling like England soccer star David Beckham felt after his sending off against Argentina in the 1998 Fifa World Cup. Hopefully he won’t be vilified to the same extent by his countrymen that Beckham was.

Not that he would be, for this is really the point of this column - there is so much grey area and uncertainty and such a technical morass enveloping the whole issue of cards given around the tackle law interpretations that it is almost impossible to play the blame game. At least you can’t blame the player in the same way that you could back in the day when red cards were reserved for properly heinous indiscretions that brought the sport into disrepute.

Many of the modern red incidents are just accidents that are at worst the result of slight sloppiness with a complete absence of malicious intent, and many are also just unavoidable in a contact sport. When Cane was carded my WhatsApp lit up with messages from people saying how ridiculous it was. And every single one of those messages was from a South African.

Not that the fact Springbok fans were as incensed with that sending off as the All Blacks were should be unexpected either. For the minute a red card is awarded it dictates the post-match narrative and brings in expectation. If the Boks had lost the game they would have been slated for losing to 14 men and they would have been severely embarrassed.

A CARD DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN YOU LOSE

Of course, going down to 14 men doesn’t automatically condemn a team to defeat in the way that so many overseas Bok detractors would like to think it does. England’s relatively successful campaign, taking pre-tournament expectation as a yardstick, may well have been sourced in the red card Tom Curry received early in their first game against Argentina.

These days every team prepares beforehand for what they will do when they lose a man. England obviously do it well because during the warmup phase they came back to win a game against Wales where the turning point was the sending off of Owen Farrell, which coincided with a yellow card to another player.

England effectively won that game, and played much better, when they were down to 13 men, and the Curry sending off in Marseille appeared to galvanise them against Argentina too. At the very least, it forced them to focus on the limited game plan that they adopted to get them to play-offs and into the semifinal.

There are many instances when a red card does the opposite of what might be expected. Sharks supporters might remember the day in 2014, when Jake White was the coach, that their team scored an historic Super Rugby win over the Crusaders in Christchurch, The Sharks were losing that game before Jean Deysel got sent off. White also presided over an historic Bulls win over the Stormers/Western Province at Newlands where his team was down to 14 in the second half and they came from behind on the scoreboard.

There was another less significant game back in the Gert Smal era at the Stormers that sticks in my memory - the Reds were losing to the Cape franchise but then their hooker Tai McIsaac was sent off and the whole momentum shifted. The Reds ended up winning comfortably.

It isn’t only in rugby that kind of thing happens. It wasn’t long ago that Liverpool came back when a man down to beat Newcastle away and they came within a few seconds of taking a point from Spurs away when down to nine men. A mate who played international soccer tells me that there were many times in his career when he ended up wondering after an opposing player had been sent off whether they’d actually added a man. That is what it felt like to him.

CORRECT ACCORDING TO THE LAW BUT THE LAW IS AN ASS

The Boks were bossing the final before Cane was carded. They didn’t after the All Blacks had had a chance at halftime to regroup and re-align in the knowledge they were a man down. They were also energised by the Siya Kolisi yellow card which, like the Cane one, was correct according to the letter of the law but still ridiculous.

There’s a weird psychology that comes with red cards and teams going down a man that impacts on both teams, and I am in agreement with those who say that had Cane not been sent off, the Boks might have won more comfortably.

Note the word ‘might’, because we don’t know, just like we also don’t know that if the All Blacks were at full muster the whole way they would have won. And that is the point. The cards detract from the enjoyment of both sides. They give the losers an excuse, and they have to take a slight gloss off the jubilation of those who support the winners. They detract from rugby as a sport that is supposed to be a contest between two teams made up of 15 players.

We know that the morass of laws around the tackle and fielding the ball in the air that make decisions so contentious have been introduced around the need to make the sport safer, but there is apparently a debate around whether that is happening. I've read that there are neuroscientists who are now saying that it is not so much the big single head blow that leads to brain damage but an accumulation of “sub concussive impacts”.

Which makes sense. It would be unusual for a boxer to become brain damaged, or punch drunk as some would put it, because of one big right hook taken to the jaw. They get that way because of the many less impactful blows they are prepared to take to the head during the course of their careers.

But regardless of whether it is succeeding in making the sport safer, Saturday’s card fiasco might have come at the right time in the sense that it should wake up World Rugby and make them realise that the sport cannot carry on as it is. There was a red card in the Women’s RWC final last year, with the team that went down a player also losing, so it is effectively two showpiece global finals in a row that have been shrouded in controversy.

That’s surely not good for the sport and while World Rugby might be able to bury heads in the sand when it happens in other games during the regular season, the harm all of this is doing to the sport they govern when it happens at their showpiece event must now be hitting them square in the face.

FREEK’S SOLUTION MADE THE MOST SENSE

There are those that say there are no ways around it, but that is baloney. The 20-minutes for a red card idea mooted by the southern hemisphere nations has been on the table for a long time without being accepted. A booking system like soccer is also better than the current system, but I would lean towards something suggested many years ago by former top referee Freek Burger.

Freek argued that red carded players, and yellow for that matter, should be sent from the field but should be replaced from the bench so that the integrity of 15 against 15 is preserved.

Coaches would still be stressed by having first choice players come off and having to activate their bench earlier than they wanted to, but the people who invest their time and emotional energy, not to mention in many instances money, to watch the games won’t feel like the experience has been ruined.

And there’d be less chance of the post-match narrative being dominated by the “We wuz robbed” faction, something that happened not just after the final, but also after the Bok quarterfinal and semifinal wins, where there was a disturbing focus by supporters of the disgruntled losers on cards they felt should have been awarded but weren’t.

When we go down that road, and search like a TMO too often appears to do for misdemeanours that might lead to a sending off, it all becomes very messy.

Every time I hear a coach say something like “we should have won that game because the opposition should have been a man down after five minutes” it irritates me. That’s not what rugby is supposed to be about, and getting the opposition to go down a man shouldn’t be an acceptable tactic. Increasingly though it is.