The English side and Wales have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
