England and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
