England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
RWC 2027 Groups
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
