The English side together with Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other 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
