England and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
