The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups conclude in line with 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 the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely 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 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
