🔗 Share this article

The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.

Key Group Draws

Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.

Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.

Knockout Implications

Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener

Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.

In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.

Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.

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