England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play 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
