The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
