The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool 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
