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The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This draw recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.

Key Group Draws

The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.

Knockout Implications

Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.

Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Larger Tournament for 2027

Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.

The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.

Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.

A total of four of the remaining six group 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