The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play 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
