The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
RWC 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
