England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
