England and Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
