England and Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other 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
