England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
