England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group 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, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, 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 Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
