England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side 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 three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play 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
