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The English side and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.

Other Notable Pool Draws

The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.

Tournament Ramifications

Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders 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 other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener

Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.

In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.

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

Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.

Four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side 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