The English side and Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group 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
