England and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, 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 pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
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 cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other 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
