The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
