The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third 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
