England together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-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 biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool 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
