England together with Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups
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
