England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
