England together with Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face 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
