England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
