England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
RWC 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
