England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
