England and Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, 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 round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play 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
