England and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete 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 assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from 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 last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
