England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's 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 Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool 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
