England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups
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
