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England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Key Group Pairings

The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.

Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.

Knockout Implications

If the groups play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.

In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.

This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.

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