England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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
