England together with Wales have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude 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 England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
