England in pool with Wales as 2027 Rugby World Cup draw made, Ireland to meet Scotland, New Zealand placed with Australia
Updated 03/12/2025 at 10:30 GMT
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England have been placed in a pool with Wales, Tonga and Zimbabwe as the draw for the 2027 Rugby World Cup has been made. Ireland were put into Pool D with Scotland, while New Zealand will meet hosts Australia in a captivating early showdown. The tournament is preparing for a new look, with an expanded 24-team format.
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The draw for the 2027 Men's Rugby World Cup has confirmed several huge meetings and derbies in the group stage, with England and Wales facing off in Pool F.
Ireland and Scotland will meet in Pool D, and hosts Australia face New Zealand in a tantalising trans-Tasman clash.
Back-to-back and defending champions South Africa have been handed a comparatively simple task, with Romania, Georgia, and Italy, who will be hoping they can replicate Japan's heroics at the 2015 tournament.
England and Wales famously met in the group stage in the 2015 tournament, when a Welsh victory at Twickenham contributed to the host's shock early exit.
Ireland and Scotland were also paired together in 2019 and 2023, and the Scots failed to advance from both groups.
The 2027 tournament Down Under is the first to feature 24 teams instead of the usual 20. It takes place from October 1 to November 13 in 2027.
Confirmed 2027 Rugby World Cup groups
- Pool A: Australia (hosts), Hong Kong China, Chile, New Zealand
- Pool B: Romania, Georgia, Italy, South Africa
- Pool C: Canada, Spain, Fiji, Argentina
- Pool D: Portugal, Uruguay, Scotland, Ireland
- Pool E: Samoa, USA, Japan, France
- Pool F: Zimbabwe, Tonga, Wales, England
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RUGBY WORLD CUP 2027 DRAW 4x5
Image credit: World Rugby
Two extra groups have been added to accommodate the tournament's expansion.
But the pool stage will in fact be shorter than France 2023, taking place over 43 days compared to 50.
Whilst rugby fans will be treated to 52 matches, four more than in 2023, players will actually play one pool game fewer due to the change from five teams per group to four.
The top two teams in each group will advance to the knockout stage, and will be joined by the four highest-ranked third-placed teams.
Given the expansion, teams are now more spread out and have largely avoided a 'group of death.'
The 2023 tournament saw Ireland, Scotland, and South Africa clustered together in Pool B, and the 2019 edition saw England, France, and Argentina all meet in Pool C.
'Doesn't get much better' - Wilson on All Blacks clash
Current Wallabies captain Harry Wilson is looking forward to facing off with the All Blacks in Pool A, and said that "it doesn't get much better" than a clash between the fierce rivals at a World Cup.
"It's really exciting," he said. "As an Australian, you always love to versus New Zealand, and in the opening match of a World Cup, it doesn't get much better than that.
"Obviously got Chile and Hong Kong too, two of the upcoming rugby nations. It's a really exciting Pool A."
Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt, who is set to depart from the role midway through 2026, added: "There's a lot of matchups, England-Wales, Ireland-Scotland... there's a lot of teams that know each other and play each other often.
"[New Zealand] will be looking at Australia and thinking, ‘Well, at least we know what we’re up against.' It's a trans-Tasman battle, which both teams are going to love having."
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