England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group 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
