The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play 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
