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The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.

Other Notable Group Draws

Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.

Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.

Tournament Ramifications

Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.

Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.

In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.

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

Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.

Four of the other 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