🔗 Share this article

England together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.

Key Pool Pairings

Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.

Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.

Tournament Ramifications

Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener

Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.

Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.

Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.

Four of the remaining six group 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