England together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
