England together with Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions 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 Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other 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
