England and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
