England together with Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
