The English side and Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the 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.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
