England and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
