England together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool 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 the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
