The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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