England and Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
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 Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
