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England and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.

Other Notable Pool Draws

The Irish and Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.

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

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener

Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.

In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.

While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the other six group 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