The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future 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 took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play 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
