England and Wales have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded 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 France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – 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 Draw
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
