The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
RWC 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
