England together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
