The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play 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
