England and Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third 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
