England and Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool 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
