The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – 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.
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
