England and Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
