The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
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
