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The English side together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.

Other Notable Pool Pairings

Ireland and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.

Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.

Tournament Ramifications

If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener

Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.

In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.

Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.

A total of four of the other six pool 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