England together with Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
