England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
