The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play 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
