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Next time someone asks about it on International Women’s Day, you can tell them 19 November (cheers Richard Herring). Wednesday’s Rugby News sees Wallaroo re-signings, the boffins explain the RWC2027 draw process, no knives for Schmidt, possible schadenfreude about NZ hand-wringing and the best name of a person I have ever seen. I’ll take the Pepsi challenge with that, any day of the ****in’ week.
Vincent: That’s a bold statement.
Five Rugby World Cup Wallaroos re-sign for 2026 campaign
RugbyPass reports that another five experienced Wallaroos have re-signed with Rugby Australia for the 2026 season after each played an important role in the team’s run to the quarter-finals at the recent Women’s Rugby World Cup in England. This announcement comes less than one week after Rugby Australia revealed four key forwards have committed to new contracts. Michaela Leonard, Kaitlan Leaney, Brianna Hoy and Ashley Fernandez will be available for Wallaroos selection in 2026.
Emily Chancellor and Piper Duck bring leadership experience back into the national setup as the team prepares to start a new World Cup cycle. Tania Naden, Cecilia Smith and Adiana Talakai are also expected to play important roles after inking fresh deals. Chancellor, Duck, Naden, Smith and Talakai have more than 130 Tests of experience between the five of them, and they’ve all gone to two World Cups. Australia reached the quarter-finals in September, losing to eventual finalists Canada at Bristol’s Ashton Gate.
2027 World Cup Draw explainer
The BBC has published this helpful explainer to the RWC2027 draw. In summary, the draw for the pool stage will take place on Wednesday, 3 December in Syd-a-nee.
The 12 teams that finished in the top three of their pools at the 2023 Rugby World Cup have automatically qualified. That means France, New Zealand, Italy, Ireland, South Africa, Scotland, Wales, Fiji, Australia (remarkably), England, Argentina and Japan are all in.
Georgia, Spain, Romania, Portugal, Tonga, Canada, United States, Uruguay, Chile, Zimbabwe and Hong Kong all booked their places through qualifying tournaments. The last spot will go to one of Belgium or Samoa and will be decided at a final qualification tournament held in Dubai on Tuesday.
The opening match of the World Cup will take place in Perth, with the final being staged in Sydney instead of Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, a short walk from The Caxton. Just sayin’.
Teams are seeded from one to 24 based on their world ranking at the time of the draw in December. They are then placed in four bands of six teams. Each pool will have one team from each of the four bands. The World Cup format added extra incentive for teams in the autumn internationals as teams looked to gain a late rise up the rankings and improve their seeding.
Australia are guaranteed to be in Pool A as hosts, but could face a top seeded team ‘if’ (ahem) they fail to climb into the top six. See the linked article for headache-inducing further details.
Schmidt has Waugh’s full support
Stuff dot bro dot inzed reports that Rugby Australia has backed Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt after three successive defeats against England, Italy and Ireland (respectively) and says there is “no indication” that the New Zealander would leave his role before next July. Strong words indeed.
The Wallabies have arrived in the cheese-eating surrender-monkey capital ahead of facing France in the final test of the year on Sunday morning East Coast Elite time at Stade de France. Monday’s regular media session with players was cancelled via two-word statement from the Aussies beginning with “Get“.
Schmidt will finish leading the Wallabies after the July 2026 tests against the potato, cheese and pasta enthusiasts as part of the new Nations Championship, with Reds coach “best bit in Wild Things” Les Kiss taking over in August 2026 for a likely home and away series against Japan. Originally, Schmidt was due to step down at the end of this year’s Rugby Championship, but agreed to extend his Wallabies tenure to allow Kiss to fulfil his commitments with the Reds.
After being asked if he was confident the New Zealander would see out his contract until next July, Waugh said he was. “From everything I’ve seen and experienced with Joe from the moment that he committed to Australian rugby right through to standing here today, that level of commitment is absolutely 100 per cent,” Waugh said. “I know because I’m corresponding with him frequently in terms of the hours that he’s doing to elevate the Wallabies and their performances.”
Kiss has been in Europe during the Spring tour, spending time with Schmidt before he returns to lead the Reds ahead of the Super Rugby season. Waugh is confident that the handover will benefit the Wallabies. “That transition of Les (Kiss) into the head coaching role, working closely with Joe, we must ensure we’ve got continuity across the broader management team because I certainly don’t want it to be a fresh start. The relationship that Joe and Les have, it’s been a long one. They’ve coached together, they’ve been in the same environment together, and they’ve got the same cultural beliefs.” (Not in the Pauline sense. Grow up).
Butching across the dutch
PlanetRugby reports that Jeff Wilson and Mils Muliaina were luvid and sputting chups after New Zealand succumbed 33-19 to England at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on Saturday. It was the ABs third defeat of the year, following on from losses against Argentina and the Springboks, both of which made unwanted history.
“Our fans have got a right to have questions. I think we’ve been patient, we’ve given the benefit of the doubt,” Wilson said on The Breakdown. “I know other coaches in this position who haven’t had the benefit of the doubt, pretty much every other All Black coach wouldn’t have had the benefit of the doubt. This isn’t Super Rugby, this is international rugby. They need to have a serious look at how this team is clearly not in sync when it comes to dealing with pressure.”
Head coach Robertson took over from Ian Foster following the RWC2023 final defeat, but there’s been little discernible improvement over the past two seasons. Debate has therefore raged over the reasons behind that, with Robertson, his backroom team and the quality of the squad all being questioned.
Wilson bemoaned the loss of some quality coaches overseas. “We spent years trying to work out how to win World Cups and we let all of that walk out the door, all of that coaching IP,” he said. “Those coaches now don’t want a bar of New Zealand Rugby, that relationship has been burned. We’ve got some of the best coaches around the world not want anything to do with New Zealand Rugby. That’s not good for our game at other levels, in terms of educating. It’s helping the rest of the world get better so for me that’s probably one of the most frustrating parts.”
Sticking it to The Man: SA whinge about officiating
Springboks assistant coach Mzwandile Wanky Stick (I swear that’s his real name – we may never see a better one) has hit out at the ‘unfair’ treatment of the Springboks in recent weeks after Lood de Jager and Franco Mostert’s permanent red cards. You can read it yourself, if you can be bothered.
