England together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
RWC 2027 Draw
Pool A
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Chile
- Hong Kong
Pool B
- South Africa
- Italy
- Georgia
- Romania
Pool C
- Argentina
- Fiji
- Spain
- Canada
Pool D
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Uruguay
- Portugal
Pool E
- France
- Japan
- USA
- Samoa
Pool F
- England
- Wales
- Tonga
- Zimbabwe
