England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
RWC 2027 Draw
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
