England and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
