England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
