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The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.

Other Notable Pool Pairings

The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders 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 other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.

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

In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 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 World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.

This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.

Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.

A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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