A draw with a winner? The routes to northern glory at 2027 World Cup

Any opposing argument is overshadowed by its hit rate.

Nine times has the William Webb Ellis Trophy been delivered to southern hemisphere hands, and ten times have the world’s best teams met for a World Cup final.

New Zealand in 1987, 2011 and 2015. Australia in 1991 and 1999. South Africa in 1995, 2007, 2019 and 2023.

Only once has the Tri-Nations triopoly been broken, with the exception of Jonny Wilkinson’s glorious dropper from 2003.

The venue where the 2027 final will take place is Sydney’s Stadium Australia, where England won.

In pools F and D, respectively, England and Ireland placed third and fourth in the world, behind South Africa and New Zealand.

England and Ireland would be ineligible to face the two southern hemisphere superpowers until the final if all four teams lived up to their seedings and advanced to the pool winners.

The Springboks and All Blacks would compete in quarter-final collision, making sure one fell before the final four, while England and Ireland would remain apart until the semis.

Fabien Galthie’s side would be eager to take on whoever emerges from that titanic encounter if France were to advance as pool winners, which is difficult to see Japan, the USA, or Samoa preventing.

Scotland could sabotage France’s passage to the last 16 if they lose in three of the previous four matches in the pool.

Only one of their past 16 games with Ireland came against Gregor Townsend’s side, including losing in a Pool B match against France in 2023.

If Scotland defeats Uruguay and Portugal in Pool D, they are most likely to face France, who have a much better record, in the last 16.

A quarter-final against Fiji is expected to follow, according to the current rankings.

Even Wales, which is mired in a pitiful state and underwent structural change, is upbeat.

In a worst-case scenario, Tonga and Zimbabwe are far more amiable Pool F opponents than Samoa, who lost to Wales in 1991 and 1999 and who won at Principality Stadium in 1991 with a point in the hopes of qualifying for the Six Nations.

A team that finished second in Pool F, which includes Argentina, Fiji, Spain, and Canada, will receive a last-16 tie in Pool C.

The caveats are now.

Other contenders for the southern hemisphere’s position will have a say.

Argentina would relish their chance to reach the World Cup semi-finals again despite Ireland’s success. On its own soil, Australia will be a more strategic and formidable force than it was in 2023.

At a World Cup, Fiji always poses a greater threat than their disparate squad, which they rarely receive with the dedicated build-up.

Although this draw is more recent than previous ones, there is still a ton of rugby to be played before the tournament gets underway in October 2027.

Once it does, there will be problems. No campaign or competition follows predetermined paths with such ease.

However, a draw does open up possibilities, as the lopsided quarter-finals of 2023 demonstrated.

The narrative of the inaugural Nations Championships’ final year features the hemispheres competing against one another in the autumn crescendo at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium. North versus south is the driving force behind the finale.