The English side and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face 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
