England together with Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
