England and Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the 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 heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
