England together with Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, 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 team that finished third 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
