England together with Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos 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 face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play 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
