The English side together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
