England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – 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
