England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open 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 grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face 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
