England and Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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
