England and Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
