England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
