The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous meeting 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.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
