England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play 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
