🔗 Share this article

England and Wales will face off in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.

Key Pool Draws

The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.

Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.

Knockout Implications

Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.

Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.

In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.

This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.

Four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.

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