England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool 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
