England and Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
