The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
