England together with Wales have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group 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
