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The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Key Group Pairings

The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.

In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.

This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.

While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.

A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play 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