England together with Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
