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England together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Other Notable Pool Pairings

Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.

Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.

Knockout Implications

If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.

In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.

Although 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 group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.

RWC 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