England and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining 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
