England and Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
