The South American side will bring an expansive and exciting brand of rugby to Australia.
Uruguay will make their fourth consecutive Men’s Rugby World Cup appearance in Australia in 2027, where they will face tough opponents in Ireland and Scotland in their opening and closing Pool D outings.
Their other pool phase opponents are Portugal, who they beat 26-8 in 2025.
Los Teros boast an exciting backline and an impressive back-row unit, led by Manuel Ardao, one of the world’s best jacklers. But their set-piece has appeared to be a weak link of late and they may struggle to match the physicality of the higher-ranked teams in their pool.
Players to watch
Manuel Leindekar
Leindekar’s imposing 2.06m presence has become central to Uruguay’s success. The second-row plies his trade in France’s Pro D2 and has won more than 40 caps since his international debut in 2017. Leindekar’s experience and physicality will be crucial if Uruguay are to progress out of a difficult pool.
Felipe Aliaga
Aliaga is Leindekar’s likely second-row partner at RWC 2027 and has established himself as one of Uruguay’s top performers in recent years. His intelligence in the loose is matched by his abrasiveness in contact, while his leadership qualities have seen him step up to captain the country’s Super Rugby Americas franchise, Peñarol, this season.
Santiago Arata
The scrum-half could appear at his third Rugby World Cup, having starred for Los Teros in 2019 and 2023. Scored a brilliant solo try in his country’s famous win over Fiji at RWC 2019. Having played more than 100 matches for Castres Olympique in France, Arata will bring priceless experience to a squad dominated by domestic players.
RWC icon
Diego Ormaechea’s records as the oldest ever Men's Rugby World Cup player and try scorer have stood since 1999 and look unlikely to be broken any time soon. The combative number eight was 40 years old when he set both records in a 27-15 win over Spain, which also remains the last time a country won on their Men's Rugby World Cup debut.
RWC cult hero
Felipe Berchesi carved out a club career in the second and third tiers of the French game, but was always ready to step up for his country, appearing at three Rugby World Cups. The fly-half is perhaps best remembered for his performance in Uruguay’s famous win over Fiji in 2019, in which he contributed 15 points with the boot.
Head coach
Rodolfo Ambrosio returns to the Rugby World Cup stage 40 years after his first and only appearance, for Italy in the first-ever RWC match in 1987.
Having won plenty of admirers during a five-year spell as Brazil’s head coach, Ambrosio was Chile's attack coach at RWC 2023 and has been in charge of Uruguay since 2024. The team’s expansive style of play has continued under the tutelage of the former fly-half.
Most memorable match
Uruguay’s 30-27 victory over Fiji in Kamaishi at RWC 2019 was just their third Rugby World Cup victory and remains their proudest moment on the global stage.
Tries from Arata, Manuel Diana and Juan Manuel Cat were backed up by the boot of Berchesi, who scored half the team’s points on the day. The win is the country’s only victory over Fiji, a team they had lost to by 61 points a year earlier.
Pool journey
3 October, 2027 v Scotland (Melbourne | Narrm)
11 October v Portugal (Newcastle | Awabakal-Worimi)
17 October v Ireland (Melbourne | Narrm)
Did you know...?
Uruguay is a relatively small country, with 3.5 million inhabitants, but has more than 12 million head of cattle.
Despite its small size, the nation has a proud sporting history, having won the first-ever FIFA World Cup in 1930, which they also hosted. Uruguay was once known as the ‘Switzerland of South America’ for its political stability and early social reforms.
RWC history
Pool stage (5) – 1999, 2003, 2015, 2019, 2023
Uruguay have qualified for five previous Men's Rugby World Cups, including the last three. Although they have yet to progress past the pool stage, the only time they have failed to win a match was at RWC 2015, when they were in a pool with Australia, Wales, England and Fiji.
Their four RWC victories to date have come against Spain (1999), Georgia (2003), Fiji (2019) and Namibia (2023).
How they qualified for Australia 2027
With Argentina already guaranteed a place at RWC 2027 thanks to their fourth-place finish at RWC 2023, Uruguay claimed the remaining direct South American spot at RWC 2027 by overcoming Chile over two legs.
Chile snatched a narrow victory in the second leg in Montevideo, but Uruguay still got over the line thanks to a 12-point win in the first leg.
Key stat
Of all the teams to have played 10 or more matches at Men's Rugby World Cups, Uruguay have the highest success rate on their own rucks (95.1 per cent).
RWC Fast Facts
- RWC debut: 1999
- RWC best finish: Pool stage
- Most RWC appearances: Agustín Ormaechea, Andres Vilaseca (12)
- Top RWC try scorer: Baltazar Amaya (3)
- Top RWC points scorer: Felipe Berchesi (55)
