England and Wales will face off in the same group 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 Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
