England together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool 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
