England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
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
