England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining 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
