England and Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
