Autumn Nations Series: Why world rankings matter for 2027 Rugby World Cup drawdraw

Autumn internationals kick off on Saturday as teams look to collect vital qualification points ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw on December 3.

For the group stage of the tournament in Australia, teams will be drawn into six pools of four.

The top six teams in the world rankings (South Africa, New Zealand, Ireland, France, England and Argentina) will be in the first group in the draw and will therefore avoid playing each other in the pool stage.

Australia (seventh) and Scotland (eighth) are eyeing strong autumns to break into the top six, while Wales (12th) will want to avoid relegation from the second team group and face a tougher World Cup draw.

The World Cup is two years away, and the autumn matches offer head coaches the opportunity to introduce new players and improve their tactics.

There is something to play for in every area.