England together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce 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 game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 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
