England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup 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 been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor 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 Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other 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
