England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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
