England together with Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
