England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay 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 defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart 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 knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
