England and Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face 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
