England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool 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
