England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
