England together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other 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
