England and Wales have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although 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 Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
