England and Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably 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.
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
