England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, 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 play a third-placed side 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
