England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very 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 meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
RWC 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
