The English side together with Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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
