England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce 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 rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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