The English side and Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play 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
