England and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably 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.
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
