England together with Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
