England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
