England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa 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.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining 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
