England and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face 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
