England and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 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.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While 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 runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group 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
