England and Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
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
