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England together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.

Key Pool Draws

Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.

Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture

Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.

Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.

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

Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.

Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side 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