England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
RWC 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
