The English side together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English 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 those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool 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
