England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face 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
