England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 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 twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
