England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both 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 are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
