England and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor 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 Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
