England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
