England together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until 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.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn 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
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face 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
