England together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to 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 all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
