England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up 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 echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
