England and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations 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.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
