The English side and Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor 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 Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
