England and Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
