The English side together with Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third 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
