England together with Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising 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 mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – 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 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
