England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, 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 recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
