The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool 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
