England and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet 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 face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
RWC 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
