England together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
