England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool 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
