England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
