The English side and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
