England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors 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 top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group 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
