🔗 Share this article

England together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.

Key Group Pairings

The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.

Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the final.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener

Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.

In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.

The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.

While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group 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 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