England and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
