England together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
