England and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group 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
