England together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
