England and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of 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
