England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group 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
