The English side and Wales have been drawn in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will play 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
