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The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.

Key Group Draws

Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.

Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.

Knockout Implications

Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener

Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.

Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.

This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the 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 initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.

Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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