The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
