The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude 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 England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 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 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the 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 early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
