England and Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup 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 the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool 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
