England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
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 early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up 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.
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
