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England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.

Key Group Draws

The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.

Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.

Knockout Implications

Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the final.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Hosts Face Major Fixture

Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.

The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.

In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.

This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.

A total of four of the other six group 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