England together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
