England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina 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.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
