The English side and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open 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 Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
