The English side and Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
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.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
