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England and Wales will face off in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.

Key Pool Draws

The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.

Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.

Tournament Ramifications

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

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Face Major Opener

Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

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

Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.

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

Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the other six group winners will face 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