England together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each 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 holders and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
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
