The English side and Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
