The English side and Wales will face off 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 Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the 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 Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups
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
