The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, 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 infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play 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
