England and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, 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, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool 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
