The English side and Wales have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. 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 the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although 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 second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
