England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
RWC 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
