England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool 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.
RWC 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
