The English side and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other 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
