England together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining 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
