England together with Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face 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
