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England and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.

Other Notable Group Pairings

Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.

Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.

Tournament Implications

If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.

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

Hosts Face Major Fixture

Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.

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

Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.

This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.

Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.

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