England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude 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 all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament 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 the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third 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
