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England and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.

Key Group Pairings

Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.

Tournament Implications

Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener

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

The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.

In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.

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

Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.

Four of the other six group winners will face 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