England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
