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England together with Wales have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.

Key Pool Draws

Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.

Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.

Knockout Ramifications

Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the final.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.

In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.

This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.

Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.

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