England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
