England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool 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
