England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
