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As numerous fans in the UK focus on their clubs' early-season performances or discuss forthcoming fall test matches, the contest for 2027 Rugby World Cup qualifying continues unabated.

Chile's Remarkable Achievement

Chile earned their back-to-back spot at the tournament with a stunning qualifying win over Samoa last month, leaving one remaining spot up for grabs for Australia in two years. At the same time, the Paraguayan side surprised Brazil 39-19 in the first leg of their playoff.

The second leg takes place this Saturday in Jacareí, close to São Paulo, as Brazil's men's team aims to emulate their women's success and secure qualification for the first time.

Forthcoming Qualification Clash

Regardless of Paraguay completes a shock overall victory, or Brazil recovers after manager their coach's departure, the lineup for November's Dubai qualification tournament will then be finalized. The Namibian team, the Belgian squad, and the Samoan side are already confirmed spots for the Middle Eastern competition from November 8th to 18th.

Global Qualifying Developments

Several additional nations have likewise secured their places. The Hong Kong China team sealed maiden qualification following defeating Korea by a large margin in July, while Zimbabwe will return to rugby union's most prestigious stage for the first occasion in over three decades after winning the African championship.

Chile's Rising Profile

The knock-on effect of Chile's qualifying triumph ensures that Los Condores will play against Italy for the first occasion in November during the autumn internationals, replacing Samoa who must compete in the Dubai tournament.

World Rugby's CEO described Chile an "exciting and fast-emerging force" in announcing the forthcoming fixture in Genoa. While domestic the sport promotional efforts seek larger crowds, rugby in Chile is buoyant. A capacity crowd of over 20,000 saw the qualifying win in Viña del Mar, and manager Pablo Lemoine has guided the team on an upward trajectory since taking over in 2018.

Manager's Impressive Legacy

The 50-year-old former Uruguayan forward has been influencing the game for decades: recruited by Bristol in the late 90s, he memorably ran straight through England defense to score at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

His influence as national coach has been equally powerful: Chile have climbed to 17th, their best ranking. During the previous World Cup in Europe, they were beaten in all matches, conceding 215 points and scoring twenty-seven, featuring a 71-0 loss against England.

However, they confidently found the positives, and following the 2027 draw in Sydney on December 3rd, Lemoine can start preparations in earnest. They hosted Scotland last year, losing by a significant margin in front of twenty-four thousand supporters, and although they were defeated across both matches by the Uruguayan side in the first qualifying round, they achieved a 21-18 win on the road in the Uruguayan capital.

Samoa's Qualifying Struggle

Samoa, in contrast, have not missed all World Cup for decades, but are presently languishing in 16th position in the men's rankings. They were winless in this year's Pacific Nations Cup, resulting in qualifying disappointment versus Chile, and the need to face nations such as Belgium brings further challenge for the rugby-loving country.

Competition Structural Updates

Apart from specific teams' performances, it is worth noting how different the larger competition will look in 2027. For the first occasion, there will be a knockout stage with six pools of four rather than four groups of five. Group phase risk is significantly reduced because the top four third-place teams will additionally qualify.

Hosts and Rankings Consequences

The hosts, Australia, are now placed seventh in the world, meaning they would miss out on top seeding and might meet either South Africa, New Zealand, Ireland, the French, England, or Argentina in Pool A. They could climb into the highest seeds during a busy November, however: the English team, the Italian side, the Irish squad, and France are their fixtures, with a match versus Japan in Tokyo also scheduled for October 25th.

Wales, on the other hand, are balanced in 12th, with the Japanese side behind, and the implications of dropping to thirteenth and into pot three are possibly severe.

American Representation and Upcoming Events

An additional new dimension for 2027 is the participation of five teams from the American continent: the Argentine team, Uruguay, the United States, the Canadian team, and Chile – with Paraguay or Brazil possibly becoming the sixth. From World Rugby's viewpoint, engagement from the Americas is beneficial, particularly with the 2031 tournament scheduled to be staged by the USA, and the selection process for the 2035 edition was initiated last month.

Immediate Priority

First things first, though. The second installment of Brazil v Paraguay prepares a four-team qualifying contest, along with a potential standings change across Europe in the coming month. No matter the outcome, Chile's qualification for a second Rugby World Cup has undoubtedly established them as a resounding success story.