The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' 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 France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
