The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
