England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
