The English side together with Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
