England and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup 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 have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
