England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
