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England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Key Pool Draws

The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.

Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.

Tournament Ramifications

Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener

Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.

Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.

Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.

Four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.

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