The English side and Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with 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 the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
