🔗 Share this article

The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.

Key Group Pairings

The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.

Knockout Ramifications

Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.

In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.

The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.

Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.

A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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