England together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
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 both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
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 – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
RWC 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
