England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
