England and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play 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
