England together with Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
