England and Wales have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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
