England and Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
