England and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play 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
