England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders 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 take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool 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
