Former Puma, Pablo Bouza<\/a>, has masterminded that charge as head coach of Los Leones and will relish the task of taking on his countrymen in Australia, adding further intrigue to a pool that has the potential to be full of storylines.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the overall Test head-to-head records of the teams involved, plus details of the previous Rugby World Cup<\/a> encounters, listing the highest-ranked team first:<\/p>\n Argentina (6) vs Fiji (8) The only previous Rugby World Cup meeting at Rugby Park in Hamilton was won convincingly by Fiji, and was both teams\u2019 first-ever Rugby World Cup fixture. Fiji\u2019s participation had been jeopardised by a military coup in the country shortly before the inaugural tournament began, but they arrived, albeit later than every other team, and made the quarter-finals despite playing three matches in seven days.<\/p>\n Test head-to-head record: Played 4 \u2013 Argentina leads 3-1<\/p>\n Past RWC results: 1987 Pool \u2013 Argentina 9-28 Fiji<\/p>\n Argentina (6) v Spain (15) The most recent clash between the teams was at the home ground of Athletico Madrid in August 2023, the Pumas winning the battle of the big cats, 62-3. The closest Spain\u2019s Los Leones (the Lions) have come to beating Argentina are the nine-point defeats in 1982 and 1992.<\/p>\n Test head-to-head record: Played 5 \u2013 Argentina leads 5-0<\/p>\n Past RWC results: N\/A<\/p>\n Argentina (6) v Canada (25) Test head-to-head record: Argentina leads 6-3<\/p>\n Past RWC results: N\/A<\/p>\n Fiji (8) v Spain (15) Test head-to-head record: Played 4 \u2013 Fiji leads 4-0<\/p>\n Past RWC results: N\/A<\/p>\n Fiji (8) v Canada (25)
The two-place gap in the rankings between the Pumas<\/a> and Fiji is the closest between any Band 1 and 2 teams drawn in the same pool. But in terms of fixtures, they have been worlds apart, with the last meeting some 22 years ago, on the eve of Rugby World Cup 2003.<\/p>\n
Another new Rugby World Cup fixture, with the Spanish-speaking countries\u2019 five previous meetings all falling outside of the tournament, and all won by Argentina. However, Spain\u2019s head coach Pablo Bouza<\/a> is very familiar to the Pumas, having won 36 caps for Argentina between 1996 and 2007 at No.8 and lock. He played for them at RWC 2003 and was defence coach at RWC 2015.<\/p>\n
Argentina and Canada<\/a> will come together for the first time at a Rugby World Cup. The teams have met nine times in the past but not since 2005, when Canada snapped a five-game losing streak against Los Pumas with a memorable 22-15 victory in Calgary. However, the Canadians have lost six subsequent meetings with a second-string Argentina XV<\/a> side since then.<\/p>\n![\"RWC](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/RWC-2027-Pool-C.png.webp\")
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After a 22-year gap between the first and second clashes, Fiji and Spain have met three times in the last four years, and as recently as last month, when Los Leones gave the Pacific Islanders a real fright before losing 41-33. Again, the teams have never met before at a Rugby World Cup.<\/p>\n
Fiji and Canada are well accustomed to one another, thanks to their participation in the Pacific Nations Cup. The sides met in the USA<\/a> in this year\u2019s cross-continental tournament, Fiji winning 63-10 in Denver. Electric winger, Kalaveti Ravouvou<\/a>, scored a hat-trick for rampant Fiji, who won at a canter despite losing prop Mesake Doge<\/a> to a 20-minute red card.<\/p>\n