England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining 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
