England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While 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 runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play 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
