England together with Wales have been drawn in an identical group 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 Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw 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 New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
