The English side and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
