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England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Other Notable Group Pairings

The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.

Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.

Tournament Implications

Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.

Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.

This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.

Four of the other 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