England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
