The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face 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
