England together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
