The English side and Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
RWC 2027 Groups
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
