The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
