The English side and Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor 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 last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
RWC 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
