England together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play 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
