The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
