England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
