England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
RWC 2027 Draw
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
