England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish 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 those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups
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
