England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
