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The English side and Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.

Other Notable Pool Pairings

Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.

Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.

Tournament Implications

If the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.

In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.

This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.

While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.

A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.

RWC 2027 Draw

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