England and Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
