🔗 Share this article

The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.

Key Pool Pairings

The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.

Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.

In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.

This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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