Imagine a rugby team on the brink of despair, their dreams of glory at the Rugby World Cup seemingly shattered, only to be handed an unexpected lifeline at the last second—talk about a plot twist worthy of a blockbuster movie! That's the thrilling, rollercoaster journey of Brazil's national rugby squad as they prepare for the RWC 2027 Final Qualification Tournament. But here's where it gets controversial: does this dramatic comeback make their story even more inspiring, or does it raise questions about fairness in international sports? Let's unpack it all, breaking down the facts in a way that's easy to follow, even if you're new to rugby. We'll explore their history, their whirlwind path to qualification, key players, and more—stick around, because this underdog tale has twists that might just make you root for them.
First off, let's talk about their Rugby World Cup history. Brazil hasn't participated in a single Rugby World Cup tournament yet. That means their best finish, most points in a match, and biggest win are all listed as not applicable, or NA. It's a blank slate, which might seem surprising given rugby's growing popularity in South America, but it sets the stage for their current push.
Did you know...? Brazil has never qualified for the Rugby World Cup, but they've dipped their toes into the big leagues in other ways. They made a splash at the first-ever Rugby Sevens event in the Olympics, held at Rio 2016, showcasing a glimpse of their potential in the faster, more explosive format. On the women's side, their 15s team (that's the full 15-player rugby union game, as opposed to the 7s version) just made their Rugby World Cup debut at the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup in England. For beginners, think of Rugby Sevens as a quicker, high-scoring version of the traditional 15s game—it's like soccer but with more passing and tackles, and teams have fewer players for faster action. These experiences highlight Brazil's emerging role in global rugby, even if their full World Cup dreams have eluded them so far.
Their kit color is a vibrant green and yellow, inspired by the Brazilian flag and evoking that signature South American flair. Their nickname? Os Tupis, which refers to an indigenous group and adds a touch of cultural pride to the team.
What are they known for? While Brazil's football team dazzles the world with unpredictable flair and jaw-dropping skills, the rugby squad leans into a different strength: a sturdy, well-organized game centered on precise kicking. For those new to the sport, kicking in rugby isn't just about scoring points—it's a strategic tool to gain territory, relieve pressure, or set up plays. Brazil builds their identity around this solid foundation, using it to outmaneuver opponents in a way that's reliable rather than flashy.
Now, onto their current form. They sit at World Ranking 32, which isn't elite but shows they're climbing the ladder. Their recent matches? A string of losses: LLLLL. In rugby terms, that means five straight defeats, which can dent confidence, but as we'll see, they've bounced back before.
The Final Qualification Tournament matches are set in Dubai at The Sevens Stadium, a venue known for its fast-paced games. Here's the schedule: On 8 November, it's Samoa versus Brazil; then on 13 November, Belgium takes on Brazil; and on 18 November, Namibia faces Brazil. These games are crucial—wins could propel Brazil to the World Cup, while losses would end their journey.
How did they qualify for Dubai? It's a saga of ups and downs that started back in August 2024 in São Paulo, Brazil. There, Brazil trounced Los Yacarés (which means 'The Alligators' in Spanish, referring to Paraguay's team) 77-17 in Round 2 of the Sudamericano Rugby Championship. But they later fell to Chile 36-10 in their final group match. Still, that big win over Paraguay clinched a spot in the decisive third round. For context, the Sudamericano is South America's regional championship, like a mini-tournament that builds skills and determines qualifiers.
In this third round, the winner headed straight to RWC 2027, the runner-up faced a play-off against Samoa (fourth from the Pacific qualifiers), and the third-placed team earned a ticket to the Final Qualification Tournament (FQT). Fourth place? Out of luck. The matches unfolded dramatically: Uruguay demolished Paraguay with an aggregate score of 116-10, while Brazil struggled against Chile, losing 70-41 over two legs (that's home and away games combined). This led to a Uruguay-Chile final and a Brazil-Paraguay third-place play-off.
Uruguay clinched the title by defeating Chile 46-37 across two legs, securing their spot for Australia 2027 and sending Chile to a South American-Pacific play-off. Paraguay, however, staged a remarkable comeback—bouncing back from their heavy loss to Uruguay to upset Brazil in the third-place play-off. On 11 and 18 October, Paraguay won both home and away matches, with an aggregate score of 70-43. This sent Paraguay to the FQT and dashed Brazil's World Cup hopes.
But wait, here's the twist most people miss—right before the Dubai tournament kicked off, Paraguay informed World Rugby that they'd accidentally fielded an ineligible player in those final matches against Brazil. As a result, they withdrew, and Brazil was hastily invited as a replacement. Talk about a second chance! This incident has sparked debates: Did Brazil truly earn this spot through merit, or is it more about a technicality that favors some teams unfairly? Some fans argue it's a harsh blow to Paraguay's hard-earned victory, while others see it as justice in a fair-play system. What do you think—should ineligibility disqualify past results, or is it too late to change them? This is the part that could spark heated discussions, as it touches on the integrity of international sports rules.
Their head coach is Josh Reeves, a versatile figure in rugby's global scene. As a player, he was a goal-kicking flyhalf—think of the flyhalf as a quarterback in rugby, directing plays and often handling kicks. Reeves has experience on four continents, hailing originally from Christchurch, New Zealand. At 39, he played four seasons for Shirley Rugby Club before moving to Brazil with his wife Ana in 2014. Since then, he's been deeply involved in Brazilian rugby, earning over 30 test caps (international matches) for Brazil. Highlights include facing the Maori All Blacks and the Barbarians, plus kicking 18 points in a famous 2019 win over Canada in the Americas Rugby Championship. He's also played in the USA's Major League Rugby with the Utah Warriors and in South America's Super Liga Americana with the Cobras.
Internationally, Reeves has coached and played in Ireland, including as player-coach for Sligo and in the All Ireland League with Wanderers, as well as coaching at St Andrews College in 2011/12. This is his second stint as Brazil's head coach, following a brief period in 2022, and he now serves as Technical Director for the Brazil Rugby Confederation.
In brief, Brazil got the ultimate reprieve, stepping in as a late entry to the Final Qualification Tournament after Paraguay's withdrawal due to that ineligible player. Recently, they've shown promise, like crushing Paraguay 77-17 in August 2024 and pushing Chile hard in July matches (Chile already qualified for 2027). However, just days before a crucial October play-off in Asunción, Paraguay, head coach Emiliano Caffera was replaced by Reeves. Brazil then lost both legs of the two-legged play-off: 39-19 in Paraguay and 31-24 at home. Thanks to Paraguay's withdrawal, Reeves and his team now have a shot to redeem themselves in Dubai and reclaim their winning streak.
A key player to watch is Andre Arruda, the hard-running 36-year-old No.8 (a position like a linebacker in American football, focused on defense and carrying the ball). He's a stalwart for Brazil and the Brasil Cobras in Super Rugby Americas, a league featuring teams from Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay. With 48 caps since 2017, Arruda was pivotal in the recent play-offs against Paraguay. In the first match, he intercepted a pass in the 17th minute and sprinted 50 meters to score, putting Brazil in front. In the second, he powered over early in the ninth minute for another lead. For beginners, interceptions are like steals in basketball—snatching the ball and turning defense into offense.
Their legend is Moisés Duque, the elegant 36-year-old center who retired after the RWC 2027 play-off. He holds Brazil's record with 66 caps, starting at São José Rugby Clube in the Campeonato Brasileiro de Rugby before a stint in France's Fédérale 1 with Blagnac. As an accurate goal-kicker (kicking conversions and penalties for extra points), he shone in Brazil's historic 24-23 win over the United States in the 2016 Americas Rugby Championship—their first match against the USA. The next year, he topped the scoring charts with 43 points. Centers in rugby are midfield players who handle passes and tackles, much like a midfielder in soccer.
The squad draws heavily from the recent play-off team, including star No.8 Arruda but excluding retiring center Duque. Look out for 27-year-old New Zealand-born lock Ben Donald from the Bay of Plenty Steamers, who qualifies via residency rules (living in Brazil long enough to represent them). Also, 27-year-old Argentinian-born prop Leonel Moreno, who plays for Lazio in Italy. The team includes players from the USA (Major League Rugby), France, Italy, Portugal, England, and Spain, where hooker Yan Rosetti plays for Barcelona. For those unfamiliar, props are the big guys in the front row of the scrum, and locks are tall players who jump for line-outs (throw-ins).
Forwards: Brendon Alves, André Arruda, Matheus Cláudio, Adrio de Melo, Matteo Dell’Acqua, Cléber Dias, Ben Donald, Henrique Ferreira, Vicente Galvão, Tiago Gonçalves dos Santos, Hélder Bryan Lúcio, Rodolfo Martins, Leonel Moreno, Gabriel Oliveira, Wilton Rebolo, Felipe Rosa, Yan Rosetti, Renato Santos, Aquiles Schulter, Caique Segura, Endy Willian.
Backs: João Amaral, Moisés Duque, Gustavo Gobeti, Felipe Gonçalves, Raphael Hollister, Lorenzo Massari, Widson Menezes, Carlo Mignot, Robson Morais, Thiago Oviedo, Lucas Spago, Robert Tenório, Lucas Tranquez, Antonio Zanatta.
They say: 'Rugby is still developing in Brazil to the point where we could say that this is the style of play. At the national level we tend to have really big forwards so then obviously we tend to focus a lot on our forwards game, our ability to carry the ball, the scrum, the maul, that type of thing. But then at the club level it's probably a bit more of a free flowing game, a little bit more of that kind of Brazilian flair.' – Josh Reeves, Brazil Head Coach.
So, there you have it—the Brazil rugby team's remarkable comeback story, packed with drama, resilience, and that signature Brazilian spirit. But here's the controversy bubbling up again: does this late qualification undermine the efforts of teams like Paraguay who played by the rules until a mistake was revealed? Or is it a testament to rugby's commitment to integrity? And this is the part most people miss—what if Brazil's structured play evolves to include more of that 'Brazilian flair' Reeves mentions? Could this tournament be the launchpad for a new rugby powerhouse in South America? We'd love to hear your take—do you think Brazil deserves this chance, or should stricter penalties apply to ineligible players? Does their kicking style give them an edge in Dubai, or will form catch up? Share your opinions in the comments below; let's discuss!
