England together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, 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 Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the 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 second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
