England and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce 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 game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Draw
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
