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The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.

Other Notable Group Draws

The Irish and Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.

Knockout Implications

If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener

Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.

Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

While 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 second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play 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