The English side and Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool 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
