The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
