England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
