England together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
