England together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will play 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
