England and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
