England together with Wales have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
