England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
