England and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
RWC 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
