England and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both 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 defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
RWC 2027 Groups
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
