England and Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face 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
