The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
