England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool once again, 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.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group 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
