The English side and Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
