England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool 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
