The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although 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 Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Draw
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
