The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing 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 group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
