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England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Other Notable Pool Pairings

The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.

Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.

Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.

Tournament Ramifications

If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture

Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.

Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.

Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

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

The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.

Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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