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The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This draw echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.

Key Pool Pairings

Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.

Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.

Tournament Implications

Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.

Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.

In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.

This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.

Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.

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