England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face 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
