The English side together with Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although 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.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
