England and Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
