England together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
