Rugby fans in Chile have reason to celebrate after Los Cóndores secured their spot at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia following a commanding 31-12 win against Samoa in Viña del Mar.
This victory, combined with a 32-32 draw in the first leg in Salt Lake City, gave Chile a 63-44 aggregate triumph and confirmed them as the 23rd team to qualify for the tournament.
Americas Set to Make a Strong Showing
With this qualification, five teams from the Americas are now guaranteed spots in Australia: Argentina, Uruguay, USA, Canada, and Chile.
This represents the largest representation from the region in a single Rugby World Cup to date.
There is still a chance for a sixth team, depending on the outcomes for Brazil or Paraguay, both of whom remain in contention.
Samoa, who have appeared in every World Cup since 1991, will now have to fight through the Final Qualification Tournament in Dubai, running from November 8-18, 2025, alongside Belgium, Namibia, and either Brazil or Paraguay, for the final ticket to Australia 2027.
Santiago Videla Shines as Chile Dominate at Estadio Sausalito
Chile’s victory was fueled by the electric support of 20,000 fans at Estadio Sausalito.
Santiago Videla was once again the star of the show, contributing 16 points on top of the 12 he scored in Utah.
Despite Samoa’s efforts, injuries, suspensions, and unavailabilities hampered their performance, allowing Chile to capitalize on defensive errors and dominate the scoreboard.
Early Tries Set the Tone
The first try came after Samoan number eight Abraham Papali’i received a yellow card for repeated infringements.
Chile’s hooker, Diego Escobar, collected a high kick and set up Benjamín Videla for a try, putting Chile ahead 11-0 after the conversion.
Their second try followed a huge tackle from Nicolás Saab on Samoa’s fullback Lolagi Visinia.
Inaki Ayarza pounced on the loose ball to dot it down, though Videla’s conversion narrowly missed.
Samoa finally got on the board before halftime through Melani Nanai, with Talapusi converting to make it 14-7.
Samoa Fights Back, But Chile Hold Firm
The second half saw Samoa regain possession and pressure Chile with several close-range drives, scoring on 62 minutes through Jonah Mau’u.
Chile responded through Videla’s reliable kicking, adding two penalties to restore breathing space.
With the clock winding down, Samoa needed a spectacular play, but it was Nicolás Saab who sealed the win for Chile, intercepting the ball and linking with Matías Garafulic for a brilliant try that confirmed their place at the Rugby World Cup.
Looking Ahead to Australia 2027
The 2027 Rugby World Cup will expand to 24 teams, up from 20 in previous tournaments.
With Chile joining the line-up, the qualified teams now include South Africa, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Italy, New Zealand, Australia, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, Japan, Fiji, Tonga, Canada, USA, Portugal, Georgia, Spain, Romania, Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile.
For Chile, this marks a historic achievement and another opportunity to showcase their growing rugby talent on the global stage.