England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
RWC 2027 Groups
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
