The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
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
