The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool 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
