England and Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
