England and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team 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 the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play 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
