England and Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably 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.
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
