England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
