England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls 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 hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
