England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
RWC 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
