England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face 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
