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England and Wales have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock early exit.

Key Group Draws

Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.

Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.

Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.

Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.

While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team 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.

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