England together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
