England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play 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
