England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid 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 other six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
