Seeding Bands Confirmed For Pool Draw Of ‘RWC – Australia: Men’s 2027’ As Ball Design Unveiled

World Rugby & Gilbert have unveiled the ball design for Rugby World Cup (RWC) – Australia: Men’s 2027 just as the seeding bands have been confirmed for the pool draw:

Band 1

• Springboks (South Africa)
• All Blacks (New Zealand)
• England
• Ireland
• France
• The Pumas (Argentina)

Band 2

• Wallabies (Australia) (will go into Pool A as A2)
• The Flying Fijians
• Scotland
• Italy
• Wales
• Sakura (Japan)

Band 3

• The Lelos (Georgia)
• The Teros (Uruguay)
• The Lions (Spain)
• Eagles (United States Of America)
• The Condors (Chile)
• The Sea Eagles (Tonga)

Band 4

• Manu Samoa
• The Wolves (Portugal)
• The Oaks (Romania)
• Hong Kong, China
• The Sables (Zimbabwe)
• Canada

An Internet Calendaring & Scheduling Core Object Specification (iCalendar) reminder was also released for the pool draw. You can download it here!

The ball is a size 5 with 9-10 pounds per square inch of pressure & will utilise Smart Ball technology that will deliver unique insights for fans.

The ball embodies the event’s identity with the tournament’s mark & an orange hue inspired by Australia’s sun and earth tones. The design reflects the warmth, energy & spirit of Australia.

Fans will be able to purchase the first balls ahead of December 25th with a wider range of commemorative licensed products launching globally in 2026.

This announcement was made on 2 December.

The RWC – Australia: Men’s 2027 pool draw is at 8pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (Greenwich Mean Time +11) on Wednesday the 3rd of December while the main tournament will begin on Friday the 1st of October 2027, with its final on Saturday the 13th of November 2027.

Since 1995, Gilbert has been at the heart of our game & once again they have delivered a vibrant and distinctive design for Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia. This ball not only provides the world’s best players with the perfect tool to perform at the highest level but also enhances the experience for fans through cutting-edge technology.

Michel Poussau, World Rugby Chief Revenue Officer

We are excited to grow our partnership with World Rugby & to bring a wonderful official match ball design to rugby fans around the world. Rugby World Cup tournaments are the absolute pinnacle of our sport & always such a wonderful occasion and a fantastic opportunity to bring new and existing fans together and celebrate rugby.

Richard Gray, Gilbert Rugby Commercial Chief Executive Officer