England together with Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
