The English side and Wales will face off in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool 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
