England together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face 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
