England together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of 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
