The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face 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
