England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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
