England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
