England and Wales will face off 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 Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other 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
