England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to 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 Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
