England together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous 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' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group 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
