The English side and Wales have been drawn in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
