England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool 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
