The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of 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
