England together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
