England and Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
