England together with Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
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 be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
