England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will face 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
