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As numerous fans in the UK focus on their clubs' season-opening performances or discuss forthcoming fall test matches, the contest for 2027 Rugby World Cup qualifying rages on at full pace.

Chile's Remarkable Accomplishment

Chile earned their back-to-back spot at the tournament with a sensational qualifying win over Samoa last month, leaving only a single place left up for grabs for the host nation by 2027. Meanwhile, Paraguay surprised Brazil by twenty points in the opening match of their qualifying series.

The second leg is scheduled on Saturday in Jacareí, close to São Paulo, while Brazil's men's team attempts to emulate their women's success and secure qualification for the first occasion.

Forthcoming Qualification Showdown

Whether Paraguay manages a surprise aggregate win, or Brazil bounces back after head coach their coach's departure, the lineup for next month's Dubai qualification tournament will then be finalized. The Namibian team, Belgium, and Samoa have already secured their places for the Middle Eastern showdown from 8-18 November.

Global Qualification Updates

Several other teams have likewise earned their places. Hong Kong China sealed first-time qualification following defeating Korea 70-22 in the summer, while Zimbabwe will return to the sport's premier tournament for the first occasion since 1991 after claiming victory in the Rugby Africa Cup.

Chile's Rising Reputation

The knock-on effect of Chile's playoff success ensures that Los Condores will play against Italy for the first occasion next month during the autumn internationals, replacing Samoa who must participate in Dubai.

World Rugby's CEO described Chile an "exciting and fast-emerging force" in confirming the forthcoming match in Genoa. While domestic the sport promotional efforts aim for larger crowds, Chilean rugby is buoyant. A capacity crowd of over 20,000 witnessed the qualifying win in Viña del Mar, and head coach Pablo Lemoine has guided the squad on an upward trajectory since taking over in recent years.

Coach's Impressive Legacy

The fifty-year-old former Uruguay international forward has been influencing the game for decades: signed by the English club in the late 90s, he famously ran straight through the English defensive line to score at the 2003 global tournament.

His impact as national coach has been equally significant: Chile have climbed to 17th, their highest-ever ranking. At the last tournament in France, they were beaten four times, conceding 215 points and registering 27, featuring a heavy defeat to England.

However, they confidently took the positives, and after the tournament draw in Sydney on December 3rd, Lemoine can start preparations seriously. They faced Scotland last year, defeated by a significant margin in front of twenty-four thousand fans, and while they were beaten across both matches by the Uruguayan side in the first qualifying round, they achieved a 21-18 away victory in the Uruguayan capital.

Samoa's Qualification Challenge

The Samoan team, in contrast, have participated in all World Cup since 1991, but are currently languishing in 16th position in the men's rankings. They were without a victory in this year's regional tournament, resulting in qualifying disappointment against Chile, and the need to meet teams like Belgium adds further difficulty for the rugby-loving country.

Competition Format Changes

Apart from specific teams' fortunes, it is worth noting how changed the expanded tournament will appear in 2027. For the first time, there will be a knockout stage with six pools of four teams instead of four pools of five teams. Group phase jeopardy is significantly reduced because the four best third-place sides will also qualify.

Hosts and Rankings Consequences

The organizers, Australia, are currently ranked seventh in the global rankings, which means they would miss out on a top seed and could face one of the Springboks, the All Blacks, the Irish, the French, the English, or Argentina in Pool A. They could rise into the top six during a busy November, however: England, the Italian side, Ireland, and the French team are their fixtures, with a game against the Japanese team in Tokyo additionally planned for 25 October.

The Welsh team, on the other hand, are balanced in twelfth place, with Japan below, and the implications of dropping to 13th and into pot three are possibly significant.

American Presence and Future Tournaments

An additional fresh aspect for 2027 is the presence of five nations from the Americas: Argentina, Uruguay, USA, Canada, and the Chilean squad – with either Paraguay or Brazil potentially becoming the sixth. From the governing body's perspective, American interest is positive, particularly with the 2031 World Cup set to be hosted by the United States, and the host selection for the 2035 tournament was initiated last month.

Current Priority

First things first, however. The second installment of Brazil versus Paraguay prepares a four-way qualifying contest, combined with a potential rankings shake-up across Europe in the coming month. Regardless of how things pan out, Chile's successful qualification for a second Rugby World Cup has already established them as a clear success story.