The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face 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
