England together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
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
