The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
