England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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
