England together with Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the pool stages 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
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
