England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
