The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will play 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
