England together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros 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 world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
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 Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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