England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
