England together with Wales have been drawn 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 Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other 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
