England and Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
