The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third 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
