The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable clash 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.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
