England together with Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
