England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face 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
