England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
