England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group 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 memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
