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England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This draw recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Other Notable Pool Pairings

The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

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

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.

Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams 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.

Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.

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