England together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
