The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – 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
