The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, 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.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
