The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group 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
