The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, 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 pairing echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
