England and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool together, replicating 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 impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves 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 launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group 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
