England and Wales have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to 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, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool 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
