England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
