England together with Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
