England and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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
