The English side and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face 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
