England together with Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
