The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
