England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
