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England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.

Other Notable Pool Draws

The Irish and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.

Knockout Implications

If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.

The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.

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

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.

This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.

While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.

A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.

Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups

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