The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing 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.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
