England and Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
