England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
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 avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
