The English side and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament 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 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
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 runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play 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
