🔗 Share this article

The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Key Pool Pairings

Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.

Tournament Implications

If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.

In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.

This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.

While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.

Rugby World Cup 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