England and Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
