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England and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This draw mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.

Key Pool Draws

Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.

Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener

Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.

In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

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

The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.

Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, 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 third-placed side 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