England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce 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 early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
RWC 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
