The English side and Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
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 be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
