England together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will play 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
