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England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.

Key Group Draws

Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.

Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.

Tournament Implications

Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture

Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.

Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.

In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 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 game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.

A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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