England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
