England and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 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
