🔗 Share this article

The English side and Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.

Key Group Draws

The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.

Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.

Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.

Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.

Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.

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