England together with Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
