The English side and Wales have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
