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The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.

Key Pool Draws

The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.

Tournament Ramifications

Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener

Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.

In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.

This edition will introduce a last-16 round 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 runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.

A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side 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