England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
