England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 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
