England and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby'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.
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
