England together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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
