🔗 Share this article South American Rugby Union Success Stories Drive Men's Global Tournament Qualification Race While numerous supporters in the UK concentrate on their clubs' season-opening fortunes or discuss upcoming autumn internationals, the battle for 2027 Rugby World Cup qualifying continues at full pace. Chile's Historic Accomplishment Chile secured their back-to-back spot at the competition with a sensational playoff victory over Samoa last month, leaving only a single remaining spot to be claimed for the host nation by 2027. Meanwhile, Paraguay surprised Brazil by twenty points in the first leg of their playoff. The second leg is scheduled on Saturday in the Brazilian city, near São Paulo, as Brazil's men's team attempts to follow their women's success and secure qualification for the first time. Upcoming Qualifying Clash Whether Paraguay completes a surprise aggregate win, or Brazil recovers following manager Emiliano Caffera's departure, the participants for November's Dubai qualification tournament will be confirmed. The Namibian team, Belgium, and Samoa have already secured spots for the Dubai-based showdown from November 8th to 18th. Worldwide Qualification Updates Several other teams have also secured their spots. Hong Kong China sealed maiden qualification after defeating Korea 70-22 in July, while Zimbabwe will return to rugby union's most prestigious stage for the first time since 1991 by virtue of winning the Rugby Africa Cup. Chile's Rising Reputation The knock-on effect of Chile's playoff success ensures that Los Condores will face Italy for the first time next month during the autumn internationals, taking the place of Samoa who must participate in Dubai. World Rugby's CEO described Chile an "exciting and rapidly rising force" in announcing the upcoming fixture in the Italian city. While domestic rugby promotional efforts aim for increased attendance, rugby in Chile is thriving. A capacity crowd of over 20,000 saw the qualifying win in the coastal city, and manager Pablo Lemoine has led the team on an upward trajectory since taking over in 2018. Coach's Notable Legacy The fifty-year-old ex- Uruguayan forward has been making an impact for many years: signed by Bristol in the late 90s, he famously ran straight through England defensive line to touch down at the 2003 Rugby World Cup. His influence as head coach has been equally significant: Chile have climbed to seventeenth place, their highest-ever position. During the last World Cup in France, they were beaten four times, conceding 215 points and scoring 27, including a 71-0 loss against England. Nevertheless, they proudly took the positives, and after the tournament draw in Sydney on 3 December, Lemoine can begin planning in earnest. They hosted the Scottish team previously, losing by a significant margin in front of twenty-four thousand fans, and while they were beaten across two legs by Uruguay in the initial 2027 playoff, they achieved a narrow win on the road in the Uruguayan capital. Samoa's Qualifying Struggle Samoa, in contrast, have participated in every Rugby World Cup for decades, but are currently languishing in sixteenth position in the global rankings. They were winless in this year's Pacific Nations Cup, resulting in playoff misery against Chile, and the requirement to face nations such as Belgium adds additional difficulty for the rugby-loving country. Tournament Structural Updates Beyond specific teams' fortunes, it is worth noting how changed the larger tournament will appear in 2027. For the first occasion, there will be a round of 16 with six pools of four teams rather than four groups of five teams. Pool-stage risk is much lower because the top four third-placed teams will also qualify. Host Nation and Standings Implications The organizers, Australia, are currently placed seventh in the world, which means they would fall short on top seeding and could face one of South Africa, New Zealand, Ireland, France, England, or Argentina in their group. They may rise into the highest seeds during a busy November, though: the English team, Italy, Ireland, and the French team are their opponents, with a game against the Japanese team in Tokyo also scheduled for October 25th. The Welsh team, meanwhile, are balanced in twelfth place, with Japan below, and the consequences of dropping to 13th and into pot three are potentially severe. American Representation and Future Events Another fresh aspect for the next World Cup is the presence of five nations from the Americas: the Argentine team, Uruguay, the United States, the Canadian team, and the Chilean squad – with Paraguay or Brazil potentially making it six. From World Rugby's viewpoint, engagement from the Americas is positive, particularly with the 2031 tournament set to be staged by the United States, and the host selection for the 2035 edition was launched recently. Immediate Focus For now, though. The second installment of Brazil versus Paraguay sets up a four-way Dubai shootout, along with a possible standings change across Europe in the coming month. Regardless of the outcome, Chile's successful qualification for a second consecutive World Cup has already made them as a resounding success story.