The English side and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
