🔗 Share this article

The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.

Key Pool Draws

The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.

Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.

Knockout Ramifications

If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener

Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.

Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.

Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Larger Tournament for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.

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

While the winner 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 – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third 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