England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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
