The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
