The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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
