The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will play 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
