The English side together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
