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The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.

Key Pool Pairings

Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.

Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.

Knockout Implications

If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener

Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.

Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.

Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.

Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.

Four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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