England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other 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
