The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
