England together with Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play 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
