The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby'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 remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
