England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 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 twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will play 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
