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The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.

Other Notable Pool Pairings

The Irish and the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.

Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.

Knockout Implications

Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the final.

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

Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener

Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.

In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.

The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.

Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.

RWC 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