England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, 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 play 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
