England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
