🔗 Share this article

The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This draw echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.

Other Notable Group Draws

The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.

Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.

Knockout Implications

Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener

Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.

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

In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.

Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.

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