England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
