England and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
