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The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.

Other Notable Group Pairings

The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener

Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.

Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.

In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.

This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.

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

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