The English side and Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
