The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
