England and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group 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 – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group 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
