England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor 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 Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
