England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
