The English side together with Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely 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
