England together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression 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 world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other 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 remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, 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 group 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
