The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting 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 early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. 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 Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's 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 – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
