England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
