England together with Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face 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
