The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very 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 runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play 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
