England and Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups
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