The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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
